  
                  *---== ST REPORT ONLINE MAGAZINE ==---*
                         """""""""""""""""""""""""
                                       
                                       
                     "The Original Online ST Magazine"
                      _______________________________


  September 29, 1989                                      Vol III  No.107
  =======================================================================
  
                         ST Report Online Magazine 
                        __________________________
                          Post Office Box   6672
                          Jacksonville,  Florida
                               32205 ~ 6672
  
                               R.F. Mariano
                            Publisher - Editor
                 _________________________________________
                   Voice: 904-783-3319  10 AM - 4 PM EDT
                     BBS:  904-786-4176   12-24-96 HST
                    FAX: 904-783-3319 12 AM - 6 AM EDT
                 _________________________________________
  
                          **  F-NET NODE 350 ** 
              Our support BBS carries ALL issues of STReport
                                    and
               An International list of private BBS systems
               carrying STReport for their users  enjoyment

    __________________________________________________________________ 
    
 > Issue: #107 STReport        The Online Magazine of Choice! 
   ------------------- 
     - The Editors' Podium                   - CPU REPORT
     - EUROPE gets STACY FIRST!              - POSTSCRIPT NOW PD!
     - Mushrooms are Forever!                - STOS Maestro, A Review
     - ASTDA, Gains Momentum                 - EZ Draw 3.0 Overview
     - WAACE, Clearly a Winner!              - ST REPORT CONFIDENTIAL

     ---===***  PORTFOLIO DEVELOPER KIT A BARGAIN $700.00!!  ***===--- 
          -=*  NEW VICE PRESIDENT and GENERAL MANAGER NAMED!  *=-
    
  =======================================================================
       AVAILABLE ON:      COMP-U-SERVE  ~  DELPHI  ~  GENIE  ~  BIX
  =======================================================================
 
 
 > The Editor's Podium 
 
 
     Criticisms,  no  matter  where  or  from  whom,  are perhaps, the most
 helpful of criteria an enterprise could possibly invite.   We  at STReport
 value critiques  for they; (a) vividly point out the issues a reader feels
 are most important, (b) provide needed input to help in  developing future
 articles and  investigative directions, (c) allow us an opportunity to see
 entire topics from a completely different perspective.   While it  took us
 some  time  to  realize  the  true  value  of  reader input in the form of
 criticism, we now see  this  input  along  with  the  compliments  as most
 sincere and extremely helpful.  Now, if only our favorite computer company
 and it's corps of  emotionally charged  'leaders' and  their squires would
 realize these perceptions and conduct themselves accordingly.

     Since the  grandiose revelations  of the  Dusseldorf Show, many issues
 have popped up some of  which  need  serious  and  detailed  addressing by
 Atari, instead  we are  witnessing further  withdrawal from the release of
 good solid information by it's online representation.  This is truly a sad
 turn  of  events,  for  example,  the  Technical Reps are NOT permitted to
 discuss the 'technical' aspects of the newly released TT or  STE.. we ask;
 why?   What is  the problem?   Is  this a move to make sure the developers
 have no chance to support these new products?  Can it be that even Atari's
 gurus don't have the bottom line yet for these new products and therefore,
 exhibit some reluctance to reveal any technical info as it  may be changed
 from week to week?  Time will tell..

     Congratulations are  in order for Developers across the nation who are
 supporting Atari Corp.,  they  are  organizing  themselves  into  a formal
 Association.  This is a good idea whose time has come.  _ ASTDA - Atari ST
 Developer Association _   Perhaps they  among themselves  and co-ordinated
 with an  Atari liaison person, will be able to create a more positive flow
 of information pertaining to the  products  they  are  trying  to support.
 Anything  is  better  than  no  support  or the level of developer support
 coming from the company at this time.  Food for thought...    It  could be
 very possible a National Atari Dealer's Association is next.

                                           Thanks, for your support!
                                                       Ralph.....





                             "ATARI IS BACK?"


  **********************************************************************


                    :HOW TO GET YOUR OWN GENIE ACCOUNT:
                     _________________________________

      To sign up for GEnie service: Call: (with modem) 800-638-8369.

               Upon connection type HHH (RETURN after that).
                         Wait for the U#= prompt.
                    Type XJM11877,GEnie and hit RETURN.
             The system will prompt you for your information.


                THE GENIE ATARI ST ROUNDTABLE - AN OVERVIEW
                ___________________________________________

 The Roundtable  is an  area of GEnie specifically set aside for owners and
 users of Atari ST computers, although all are welcome to participate.

 There are three main sections to the Roundtable:  the Bulletin  Board, the
 Software Library and the Real Time Conference area.

 The Bulletin  Board contains messages from Roundtable members on a variety
 of Topics,  organized under  several Categories.   These  messages are all
 Open and available for all to read (GEnie Mail should be used for private
 messages).  

 If you  have a question, comment, hot rumor or an answer to someone else's
 question, the Bulletin Board is the place to share it.

 The Software Library is  where we  keep the  Public Domain  software files
 that are  available to  all Roundtable members.  You can 'download' any of
 these files to your own computer system by using a  Terminal Program which
 uses the 'XMODEM' file-transfer method.  You can also share  your favorite
 Public Domain programs and files   with   other   Roundtable   members  by
 'uploading' them  to the  Software Library. Uploading on GEnie is FREE, so
 you are encouraged to participate and help your Roundtable grow.

 The Real Time Conference is an area where  two or  more Roundtable members
 may  get  together  and  'talk'  in   'real-time'.  You can participate in
 organized conferences with special guests,  drop  in  on  our  weekly Open
 COnference,  or  simply  join  in  on  an  impromptu chat session.  Unlike
 posting messages or Mail  for other  members to  read at  some later time,
 everyone in the Conference area can see what you type immediately, and can
 respond to you right away, in an 'electronic conversation'.



  **********************************************************************




 > CPU REPORT 
   ==========
   Issue # 34




 by Michael Arthur



 Remember When....

     In 1984, the $500.00  Sinclair QL  (for Quantum  Leap) laptop computer
 was introduced,  featuring a  7.5 MHZ 68000 chip, RS-232 and serial ports,
 up to 640K  of  RAM,  a  full-sized  keyboard,  support  for  attaching 64
 Sinclair QL's  in a 100,000 baud Local Area Network, and a multitasking OS
 called QDOS, all in a 3-pound case smaller than a 520 ST, and how its 100K
 Micro-cassette drives, its Achilles Heel, caused it to be delegated to the
 stereotype of a "toy machine"?


 CPU INSIGHTS
 =============

          Atari's Future:  The Hope of the Year for the Atari ST
          ------------------------------------------------------


     While many things about Atari and its actions are debatable, one thing
 that  is  certain  is  the  quality  of its computer systems. Both Atari's
 Desktop STs (the 520  ST,  1040  ST,  and  (soon)  STE  systems),  and its
 Workstation Line  (the Mega  ST, ATW  and the  upcoming Atari TT), provide
 levels of  price/performance seldom  seen in  the computer  industry.  But
 while the  ST line's potential is great, there is a GREAT margin for error
 in Atari's quest to revitalize  the  ST's  position  in  the microcomputer
 industry.   As it  may be  the most  critical part  (besides a LOT of good
 advertising for the Atari ST) of Atari's quest, there is a lot of interest
 on what  focus Atari  will put on members of its product line.  Therefore,
 in order to figure out what it may be, here  is a  guide to  some possible
 ways that Atari's product line could be positioned for optimal results:


           520 ST:  Should be Focused on Educational Facilities
           ----------------------------------------------------

     In 1985,  when it  was first  introduced, the  520 ST was a paragon of
 computing, with 512K  of  RAM,  the  GEM  operating  environment,  and the
 ability to  access DOS  disks, all in a package that truly provided "Power
 Without the Price".   However, now,  with the  1040 ST,  Mega ST,  and STe
 providing  better  capabilities  at  a  comparable  price,  the  520 ST is
 certainly outdated in the middle-end of  the computer  market.  Therefore,
 some avenue  should be  found to  target the  520 ST at the low-end of the
 market.

     There  is  also  a  crisis  in  today's  schools  concerning  computer
 literacy.   Statistics have  shown that  there is  sometimes only 1 system
 available for  every 30-50  students in  a school,  and that  the level of
 educational software is often shabby, at best.  Disturbingly, this results
 in that elementary and  high-school students  get VERY  little exposure to
 the world of computing, and that what they DO get won't begin to help them
 when they go out  into today's  increasingly computerized  society.  Also,
 while tomorrow's  software will  run on  graphical user interfaces, almost
 none of the "computer literacy" programs  have the  equipment necessary to
 explore this field....

     Since the  520 ST is aimed at the low end of the market, and given the
 needs of the Educational market, it seems  that  the  520  ST  is  a valid
 possibility in  this area.   Let us explore how schools could benefit from
 the 520 ST, and how Atari could benefit from selling the 520  ST primarily
 to them:

     With  the  severe  lack  of  computer-related funding available to our
 schools, many computer literacy programs  haven't  been  able  to  buy the
 number of computers necessary to fuel their students' desire for learning,
 and have searched for the most economical alternative.   Before,  the only
 choices were  obsolete Apple IIs and PC Clones, which were, inadequate for
 students' needs, to say the least.   The  520 ST,  interestingly, provides
 FAR more  capabilities than these machines, while actually having a lesser
 cost.

     Also, since  most schools  can't afford  the cost  of much educational
 software out for the PC or Apple II, most "computer literacy" programs are
 little more than courses in BASIC.  And  given that  most programs  in the
 future will  use graphical environments, BASIC won't help America's future
 leaders compete in tomorrow's world.  With the GEM environment, the 520 ST
 provides a  nearly custom-made tool for students to take advantage of this
 growing field.  Fortunately,  Atari's Motto  of "Power  without the Price"
 has translated  into software affordable enough for most schools, and with
 the depth and versatility of the ST's Educational  software, schools would
 readily be  able to  afford better tools.  Which would definitely help the
 ST Software Developers in this area.   Interestingly  enough, much  of the
 ST's  productivity  software,  like  WordWriter,  Regent  Word II, and the
 upcoming OmniCard, would be very much useful to today's students....

     Atari has expressed plans for discontinuing  the 520  ST, in  favor of
 its newer  systems, and has undertaken an effort, called the "Price Club",
 to do this.  The Price Club sells  specially selected  dealers 6  520 ST's
 for a  discounted price,  in an  attempt to "dump" the 520s out of Atari's
 stockpile.  While this is an interesting way of selling out the 520 ST, it
 seems  that,  with  the  potential  for Educational Sales of the Atari ST,
 Atari should instead sell 520 ST's  (and maybe  1040 ST's)  to Schools and
 Universities at  a superbly  discounted cost.  This would help much of the
 Educational Marketplace begin to  forget  some  of  the  more  idiotic and
 thoughtless things that Atari has done towards them in the past, and would
 open up a VERY big market for the ST.

     But while Atari IS  selling  a  big  10,000  ST's  a  year  through an
 existing  Educational  Plan,  I  respectfully  submit that Atari should be
 making this program sell AT LEAST 100,000 ST's a year, and that  the above
 comments  are  suggestions  to  help  Atari  step up its Educational Sales
 commitment to the level which it SHOULD be at....


         The 1040 ST:  The Entry-Level Computer for the Rest of Us
         ---------------------------------------------------------

     With Atari's upcoming STE line of computers, the  1040 ST  seems at an
 impasse.   The STE provides many features, like 8-voice sound, an extended
 color palette, SIMM RAMs  for easy  memory expansion,  and 256K  TOS ROMs,
 that are  sorely needed  by the Desktop STs, but at a price that threatens
 to push out the most venerable ST, the 1040.   There are  two solutions to
 this problem:   Either  hike the  STe's price to the Mega's level (which a
 certain few at Atari have pushed for doing), or reposition the 1040  ST to
 better fit  the marketplace.   The latter would sell more ST's in the long
 run, do the 1040 great justice, and have many more advantages:

     Many potential ST Users don't live near ST Dealers, and as such, don't
 have many  ways to get ST's.  This not only loses Atari money, but is very
 undesirable if one wants to have a large userbase.   Mail order  is one of
 the easiest  ways for  these people  to get  computers, and in the past, a
 substantial amount of the  US ST  Userbase became  ST Owners  through mail
 order.   But while  it was  VERY good for ST Owners, it almost crippled ST
 dealer sales, since mail order vendors could afford to underprice  them on
 the 520/1040  ST's.   Reacting quickly, Atari then decided to stop selling
 ANY ST's to Mail Order  companies.    But  this  helped  ST  Dealers  at a
 terrible  cost,  both  in  Atari  profits, and in the ST's availability to
 potential buyers.

     However, with the STE, Atari now  gains an  extremely good opportunity
 to both  sell the  ST through Mail Order companies, and provide ST Dealers
 with a competitive edge over mail order sales.   Given  the STE's superior
 features and  similar price ($1200 - $2000 price range), it seems not only
 plausible, but  reasonable that  Atari aggressively  sell the  1040 ST via
 Mail Order  companies, while selling the STE, Mega ST, and TT ONLY through
 Atari ST Dealers.   In this  manner, potential  ST Owners  who didn't live
 close enough  to an  ST Dealer  could get an excellent machine, ST Dealers
 wouldn't suffer from Mail Order ST sales, and Atari would gain another way
 to increase the ST's Userbase....

     Apple has said it will produce a low-end Macintosh by the End of 1990,
 costing from $1500.00 - $2500.00.  Many industry analysts have shown that,
 when  this  low-end  Mac  is  touted  as a superior choice for Entry-level
 computing than the IBM PC Industry's, that Apple may sell up to  1 million
 of them  in a  year's time.   Since  the 1040  ST meets this criteria even
 better than  the upcoming  low-end Mac,  and can  even emulate  the PC and
 Macintosh, it  would seem  reasonable that,  if Atari  could advertise and
 market the 1040 ST aggressively in  this area  BEFORE the  Summer of 1990,
 that, let's  say, 170,000 to 300,000 machines out of that potential market
 could be 1040 ST and STEs....

     And given that Atari has now sold 1.7 million ST's worldwide, that the
 Mac was considered a BIG standard when it passed the 2.5 million mark, and
 that all of the above could be accomplished with only  a little  needed ST
 Advertising....


           Mega ST:  Not the Flagship, but still a Heavy Cruiser
           -----------------------------------------------------

     Out of the entire ST Line, maybe only the TT has a better place in the
 ST Line than the Mega.  With the 520 and  1040 ST's  relegated out  of the
 mainstream of  the computer  marketplace, the  Mega ST  stands to gain the
 most from these proposed  changes.   From the  beginning, the  Mega ST was
 designed  to  fit  a  broader  base  of  computing  needs, such as Desktop
 Publishing, small-businesses, and large-scale  MIDI  operations,  than the
 520 and 1040 ST.

     But with the TT's introduction, many have worried that the Mega ST may
 be obsolete, since it uses an industry standard bus architecture,  and has
 more  capabilities  than  the  Mega  ST.    However,  it  will also be too
 expensive to meet ALL of the uses for a Mega ST.  While a usable 4  Meg TT
 system is  likely to  cost over  $3200.00, too  expensive for the needs of
 small businesses,  most Desktop  Publishing applications,  and others, the
 Mega ST  is better  priced (and positioned) to serve the Middle-end of the
 computer market.  In fact, with the level  of DTP  software (like Calamus,
 PageStream, and Migraph's TouchUp) now available, the Mega ST could easily
 become a contender in the DTP market,  if  it  were  to  be  marketed more
 aggressively in this area....

     Also, the  Mega ST  could be positioned in a number of versatile ways,
 without taking sales or potential from the TT or STE.  While  the 1040 and
 STE will  meet the needs of the low end of the market, the Mega ST fills a
 vital niche between them and the high-end 68030 TT.  Also, the Mega ST, if
 properly priced,  would be  an extremely attractive option for 520/1040 ST
 Owners who don't really need  an  STE,  can't  afford  a  TT,  but  want a
 powerful, middle-level computer system.  Implementing just a SMALL portion
 of  the  above  would  result  in  GREATLY  increased  Mega ST sales.  And
 contrary to the beliefs of a substantial few of the  US ST  Userbase, many
 in Atari Management are trying to take the steps necessary to do this....


         Atari STE:  MUST Complement, not eliminate the Megas....
         --------------------------------------------------------

 As  mentioned  before,  the  Atari  STE  has  much potential.  Having many
 features that the original  ST's lacked,  at a  comparable price,  the STE
 seems like  the perfect  replacement for  the 520 and 1040 ST's.  However,
 while some at Atari have proposed replacing the  Megas with  the STE, some
 in the ST Community think the STE is a waste, seeing the TT's capabilities
 as the TRUE future of the  ST  line.    Of  course,  while  both  of these
 opinions have merits, both are also faulty.

     First of  all, the  Mega ST provides extra memory capacity and greater
 expansion capabilities, at a  price the  STE simply  couldn't match.   The
 reason is that the STE, with all of its special features, doesn't have the
 built-in memory capacity and expansion abilities of the Mega line.   While
 the SIMM  RAMs necessary  to upgrade  an STE will cost PLENTY, a Mega 4 ST
 provides a more convenient route for  many ST  Owners, who  may need extra
 memory more than the STE's special features.  Also, the Mega ST would be a
 cheaper option for such  users.   Secondly, the  Mega ST's  Expansion Slot
 enables  it  to  be  used  for MANY applications (like the Moniterm Viking
 High-Res Monitor) that the STE won't be able  to provide,  for lack  of an
 expansion slot....

     But the  MAIN reason that the STE won't replace the Mega ST is that it
 uses a Square Surface  Mount  version  of  the  68000  chip.    Unlike the
 ordinary version,  this 68000  chip will  NOT allow  for hardware products
 like Turbo 16 or PC Ditto II, which  are installed  by plugging  them into
 the CPU  socket and  putting the 68000 on top of it.  Since many important
 ST Upgrade products will use this method, this is a crippling disadvantage
 for the STE....

     However, the  STE shows  promise as the new low-end ST, as it has many
 of the improvements that the old ST's always  needed, and  is priced right
 for the low/middle end of the market.  However, given that the 68030 TT is
 a more desirable upgrade path for present Mega Users, and that the Mega ST
 meets certain needs better, the ST Userbase's inevitable choices could end
 up destroying the STE's chances of survival, but ONLY IF  Atari markets it
 incorrectly.

     However, if Atari realizes that the STE is the long-term future of the
 low-end ST line, it should survive.  For if Atari forces the  STE onto the
 ST  Userbase,  ST  Owners  will  simply reject it, either buying used Mega
 ST's, or taking the plunge for a 68030 TT.  But if Atari gently steers the
 ST Userbase  towards the  STE line, by providing many alternatives for the
 user (like making a Mega ST version of the STE that DOESN'T have the 68000
 chip), the ST Userbase may not only come to accept the STE, but to embrace
 it as well.  And, as  always, for  this to  be possible,  it only requires
 that Atari's  upper-level management  be just a tad bit more listening and
 understanding towards  the ST  Userbase.   And given  Atari's wise actions
 towards the Portfolio, the above seems reasonable....


           68030 TT:  A Flagship blazing the Path to the Future
           ----------------------------------------------------

     VME Bus  Architecture, 512K  TOS ROMs, a 1280*960 graphics, 68882 math
 chip support, SIMM RAMs, Ethernet, and a 68030.  With  all this  and more,
 the Atari  TT is truly Atari's high-end ST.  Aimed towards the workstation
 market, it has great possibilities, for both Atari,  the ST  Userbase, and
 the computer industry itself.

     The TT  will come  in three  varieties:  The $2500.00 TT030/2, a 2 Meg
 model of the TT, will be aimed towards the existing base of  ST Owners who
 wish to  take advantage  of the  TT's capabilities.   It won't have enough
 memory to run Unix, but since the TT will use  SIMM RAMs,  for easy memory
 expansion, Unix  upgrades should  be simplicity  itself.  The TT030/2 will
 take over many of the more CPU-intensive tasks,  like 3-D  CAD operations,
 high-end color  DTP/typesetting, and information management, that the Mega
 ST is currently targeted at.   If  marketed  well  enough,  it  could even
 become a  good contender  in the 80286/80386 and Mac II-dominated areas of
 the microcomputer world.

     The TT030/4 (with 4 Megs), and the TT030/6, with 6  Megs of  RAM, will
 be Atari's  entry into  both the  high-end microcomputer industry, and the
 growing low-end Unix workstation market.  The TT030/4, with the ability to
 run Unix,  but with  a cost  (around $3000.00 - $3500.00) which keeps it a
 viable option for a TOS system, will be  the mainstream  member of Atari's
 TT line.   It  has the  most selling potential, going as either a High-End
 TOS System, a Low-End Unix Workstation or Terminal,  and a general-purpose
 microcomputer (with  the help  of PC and Mac Emulators), the TT030/4 could
 be many things to many people.  But while the others will  be mostly aimed
 at  the  microcomputer  world,  the  Atari TT030/6 will be targeted almost
 exclusively as a low-end Unix workstation.  With color graphics, a GUI for
 Unix (Ixi's X.Desktop GUI, though OSF Motif and AT&T's Open Look are being
 considered for the future), and other features found  in Unix workstations
 costing three  times its $4500.00 price, the TT030/6 could run away with a
 substantial part of the low-end of this market.  If  marketed properly, of
 course....

     In Part II of this Essay, the possible ways that Atari's ST Line could
 be focused towards were discussed, both  to see  the capabilities inherent
 in Atari's  product line, and to get a clearer picture of what the STE and
 TT  mean  for  the  current  ST  Userbase.    In  the  future,  the  ATW's
 possibilities will  be discussed,  as well  as how Atari itself could help
 fulfill the promise of the Year of the Atari ST....




 But ponder, if you will, these questions:

 1)  How long would it take for the US ST Userbase to TRULY take notice of
     Atari's actions if they were to be admirably wise?

 2)  Have few Mega Expansion cards been made because there isn't a market
     for them, or is it that there isn't any market for Mega add-in Cards
     because no third-party Mega  expansion  cards  are  available  for the
     userbase to buy?

 3)  Will the "Year of the Atari ST" end in December 31, 1989, or is it
     simply a  term for Atari's efforts to revitalize itself as a competent
     and powerful force in the computer industry?



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



 CPU REPORT CONFIDENTIAL
 =======================



 Scotts Valley, CA   In an effort to unseat Lotus 1-2-3 version 3.0 from
 -----------------   the IBM Spreadsheet throne, Borland International has
                     introduced Quattro Professional, a new product which
                     can link multiple spreadsheets, and has 3-D graphs,
                     SQL Database support, Bitstream Fonts, plus minimal
                     and background recalculation for increased speed.

                     These are all features found in 123/3.0, but while it
                     needs 1 Meg of RAM and a 80286-level system, Quattro
                     Pro uses a new toolkit called VROOM (for Virtual Real-
                     time Object Oriented Memory Manager), to take up only
                     512K of RAM on any IBM PC.  VROOM divides a program
                     into 2K data segments, and then uses virtual memory to
                     swap unneeded segments to disk.  Given that Borland is
                     now refining it for licensing to other companies, will
                     VROOM give DOS another "lease-on-life"?

 Mountain View, CA   Adobe Systems has introduced the Adobe Type Manager,
 -----------------   a new Macintosh program which uses Adobe's Postscript
                     fonts to display fonts in any size, on any screen.  It
                     will ship around Winter Comdex.

                     Given the number of Postscript fonts available, the
                     number of Mac DTP programs that use them, and that
                     Apple's plans for System 7.0's Outline Fonts depend on
                     Mac DTP Vendors giving up Postscript and backing a
                     completely new standard....

 Norwood, MA         Phoenix Technologies, the premier maker of PC ROM BIOS
 -----------         chips used in IBM Clones, has an EISA-compatible BIOS
                     which is made for Intel's 80486 chip.  It includes
                     support for mice, disk caching, and the LIM EMS 4.0
                     Expanded Memory specification.  The Phoenix BIOS is
                     necessary for the various EISA-compatible PC's now
                     being developed to work.  Also, Phoenix has announced
                     that, while its revenues have increased from last
                     year, it may record a substantial loss for 1989....

 Cupertino, CA       Apple has announced the Mac IIci, a new Macintosh with
 -------------       a 25 MHZ 68030 and 68882 math chip, a built-in 8-bit
                     video chip supporting 256 color displays, and 1 Meg of
                     80 ns DRAM standard.  The Mac IIci has the same casing
                     as the Mac IIcx, for 3 NuBus Expansion Slots, and uses
                     the 68030's burst-mode to read/write to blocks of
                     memory up to twice as fast as normal.  Cost: $6969.00
                     w/40 Meg Hard Drive. Oddly enough, this is around what
                     a similarly configured Mac IIx costs....

                     The Mac IIci also introduces the Mac 512K ROMs.  Its
                     new features are the Communications Toolbox, Virtual
                     Memory with 32-Bit Addressing, 32-Bit QuickDraw, the
                     new Outline Font/Line Layout routines, and many other
                     features of System 7.0.  System 6.0.4 also comes
                     with the Mac IIci, to support the 512K ROMs....

 Universal City, CA  Apple also introduced their new Mac Laptop line with
 ------------------  the Mac IIci.  The Mac Laptop line has 1 Meg of Static
                     RAM (or SRAM), an Active Matrix LCD, a lead-acid
                     battery pack, which can power it for 10 - 12 hours,
                     and a 16 MHZ Motorola CMOS 68000 chip, as standard. It
                     also has a trackball, an Expansion Card slot, and a
                     SuperDrive for using 1.44 Meg disks.

                     The Mac Laptop uses Static RAMs, instead of regular
                     DRAM, since they require little power.  Apple uses
                     this for "sleep mode" (where the Laptop is off, but
                     all memory is preserved), for when it is low on
                     power.  It also weighs 16 pounds, and is more like a
                     "transportable" than a true laptop.  Cost:  $5800.00
                     for a basic Mac Laptop, and $6500.00 for one with a
                     40 Meg Hard Drive.  Given this, I think I'll wait a
                     few more weeks for Spectre GCR and the STacy to make
                     up my Mac Laptop....





     ________________________________________________________________




 > POSTSCRIPT - PUBLIC DOMAIN! STR NewsPlus   Power Plays GALORE!
   ========================================



              >Adobe Places Postscript In the Public Domain<
               --------------------------------------------

     After weeks  of  speculation  about  Apple's  recent  actions,  in its
 selling  16  percent  of  Adobe  stock,  rejecting Display Postscript, and
 designing alternatives to Postscript  into System  7.0, many  wondered how
 Apple  would  fulfill  its  promise  of  using  a  clone  of  Postscript's
 interpreter in its LaserWriter printers.  Microsoft ended this speculation
 with  its  announcement  of  PMScript,  a new Postscript Clone that it had
 bought  from  Bauer  Enterprises,  at  the   Seybold  Computer  Publishing
 Conference.  At the Conference, Microsoft showed plans to license PMScript
 to other companies, including  Apple,  as  a  lower-priced  alternative to
 Adobe's Postscript offering.  This plan showed great promise, as Adobe had
 charged exorbitant licensing fees for the technical specs  on implementing
 its Postscript interpreter technology in the past.

     Realizing that  Adobe could soon lose control over its creation, Adobe
 President  John  Warnock  announced  at  the  Seybold  Computer Publishing
 Conference that portions of the technical specifications behind Postscript
 would be placed in  the  Public  Domain,  as  the  actual  Postscript page
 description language  had been  in 1985.  This was done in a counterstrike
 designed to both make Postscript a more dominant printing standard, and to
 establish the industry support necessary to maintain Adobe's firm guidance
 over Postscript's  development.   Adobe also  announced that  it would buy
 back 4.8  percent of  its own  stock, which  fell from  $25 to $15 a share
 after Apple's stock sale.

     But while losing the  rights  to  Postscript  crippled  Adobe Systems,
 since its Postscript licensing fees were the backbone of its revenue, John
 Warnock's bold  act may  be a  two-edged sword:   Even  when Adobe charged
 exorbitant  prices  for  it,  Postscript  was  very  popular, with over 50
 companies licensing it for  use in  their products.   Now  that its Public
 Domain status  has given  Postscript an irresistible virtue, it is certain
 to become THE standard in printing and font scaling technology.  Resulting
 in that  Display Postscript  has an enviable chance to become the industry
 standard imaging model.   Interestingly enough,  it isn't  certain whether
 Display Postscript was also put in the Public Domain....

     This could  be a  death knell  for Apple's Typographic Line Layout and
 Outline Font technology, as many Mac  DTP Companies  endorse Postscript as
 an industry-wide  standard, and  relegated Apple's offerings to the status
 of a currently tolerated, but dying product.

     But what  is truly  interesting is  whether Apple  will really license
 Microsoft's Postscript  Clone, now  that Postscript itself is free for the
 asking.  In fact, Adobe's move may hurt Microsoft worst  of all,  not only
 in its financial investment in PMscript, but also in the Legal Department,
 as Adobe's lawyers commence contemplating the possibilities....

     More importantly,  this event  signals both  the end  of Adobe's rapid
 growth,  as  it  becomes  solely  dependent on its software sales, and the
 beginning of  hard times  for the  company.   But it  may also  serve as a
 herald for the beginning of a new era in computing, both for Adobe, having
 rescued itself from the jaws of  defeat  while  maintaining  a  measure of
 control over  its invention,  and for  Postscript itself, which may have a
 more dominant influence on the computer industry than  it could  have ever
 had under Adobe's monopoly....





       _____________________________________________________________




 > AN OPEN LETTER STReport OnLine   A genuine display of honest concern.
   ==============================



 Ctsy GEnie RT
 -------------


 Category 14,  Topic 35
 Message 280       Sun Sep 24, 1989
 M.LEDFORD                    at 16:15 EDT
  
 An Open Letter to Atari:

     This letter is being written just  to get  a load  off my  mind, but I
 hope, in a way, that will be taken as constructive.

     First, just  to let  you know that I am not a non-Atarian, I bought my
 first Atari ST (1040) back in '86, coming from a Radio Shack TRS 80. I now
 own a  MegaST2 upgraded  to 4  megs, which  I use  for publishing a couple
 different newsletters.   I  also  own  a  DeskJet,  Migraph  hand scanner,
 Touch-Up, a  mono and  a color  monitor.   I am the secretary of our local
 Atari ST user group, and have been with this group since its inception.

     I find, along with many, many  other loyal  Atarians, that  I struggle
 with a  love/hate relationship  with Atari.  I don't think that many other
 companies that make other  types of  computers have  as loyal  a following
 (with the exception, I think, of Amiga owners) as you do.  But it seems to
 me that you, out  of ignorance  or otherwise,  end up  giving us  the cold
 shoulder.   I am  referring to  the lack of support that I have seen, both
 here on this  BBS, and with my local dealer.

     I know that you have said that this  is going  to change,  and perhaps
 you are  making a sincere effort in this direction.  But I am brought back
 to reality when I read the on-line talk here in the support areas.  What I
 am referring  to specifically  is the total lack of news regarding the new
 computers that were (so long in being) announced.  Not  only are  there no
 updates  on  the  new  machines,  there doesn't seem to be ANY information
 going out to any of the developers.

     You kept us in suspense  for  many  months  with  your  policy  of not
 announcing  anything  before  it  was  close  to being shipped, then after
 bringing out the new STE and  TT, you  clamped the  lid on  the whole news
 outlet again!   ( I am in agreement with you on waiting for products to be
 close to shipping before making  the  announcements  and  whipping  up the
 fanfare, but to deliberately throw cold water on the new spark of interest
 doesn't make sense to me.)

     I watched  with interest  when the  Stacy was  announced, knowing that
 this would  be a  knockout if  gotten to  the market.  What with all those
 people out there who wanted a laptop Macintosh,  this would  have made the
 sales of  that computer  sweet indeed! But as of this point in time, there
 still is no Stacy.   Now  I have  seen the  advertisements for  the laptop
 Macintosh, which will suck away sales from Stacy.

     I am  very interested  in the  TT because of the advances that it will
 give to users, and the extreme competition it will bring to other computer
 lines.   But I  am afraid  that there will not be any soon release of this
 machine. Too bad.  It makes it hard  to root  for you.  The ST/TT  line of
 machines are  so good  when compared  to all the others on the market, but
 the support for them just isn't there!

     Please!! Please!! Get some  people that  can get  the information out,
 that can get machines into the hands of the developers, that can answer at
 least some of the  questions that  come up  here in  this area  (or are at
 least allowed to answer).

     For myself,  I am  considering upgrading to the TT, but the total lack
 of information of how things are going is really depressing.  Please cheer
 us all up with some crumbs from your table!!

                                                       Sincerely,

                                                                   _|_
                                                            Mike    |






       _____________________________________________________________




 > Atari Stock ~ STReport
   ======================


                                                   THE TICKERTAPE
                                                   ==============


 by Glenn Gorman



    Atari stock  dropped 3/8  of a  point on  Monday and 1/4 on Tuesday. On
 Wednesday, it rose 1/4 and  3/4  on  Thursday.    Friday,  it  dropped 3/8
 points.   Finishing up  the week  at 12  points.   No change from our last
 report.



                                                            Glenn Gorman

                          +---------------------+
                          |  ATARI STOCK WATCH  |
                          | Week 09-18 to 09-22 |
 +=======+==========+===========+=============+============+=============+
 |       |  Monday  |  Tuesday  |  Wednesday  |  Thursday  |  Friday     |
 +-------+----------+-----------+-------------+------------+-------------+
 | Sales |    1461  |     1331  |       1791  |      4043  |    2088     |
 +-------+----------+-----------+-------------+------------+-------------+
 | Last  |  11 5/8  |   11 3/8  |     11 5/8  |    12 3/8  |  12 ---     |
 +-------+----------+-----------+-------------+------------+-------------+
 | Chg.  |  -  3/8  |   -  1/4  |     +  1/4  |    +  3/4  |  -  3/8     |
 +=======+==========+===========+=============+============+=============+
 | From > THE CAVE ST BBS <> 609-882-9195 <> 300/14400 HST <> F-NET #351 |
 +=======================================================================+






  ______________________________________________________________________




 > WHAT'S THE STORY HERE? STR SOUND OFF     THE MUSHROOM PATCH THRIVES!
   ====================================




                                             MUSHROOMS ARE FOREVER!
                                             =====================


 by R.F. Mariano
  
  
     The TT, STE, Stacy, Portfolio and Lynx have been released  but what is
 actually shipping in the USA?  The Portfolio!  And only the Portfolio.  We
 were given the benefit of the Roman Trumpets and hoopla for all  the other
 goods but  where are  they?   Why is  the Stacy shipping in the UK and not
 here?   Sure..  Atari  UK  and  it's  advertising  agency  are  mistaken. 
 WRONG... this  has been  verified.  Why is the US market continually fed a
 line?   The annoying part is Sam says one thing in the conferences  and so
 far, everything  he promised would be a reality has either passed into the
 sunset or been horribly late.  We were given the impression that THIS YEAR
 was to  be the  come back year for Atari, well, it's now time to say, SHOW
 US.  We've been jerked around enough! 
  
     Atari made a big deal of the Lynx,  all sorts  of "wowie  zowie" noise
 materialized touting  this toy...   much  to the chagrin of many of the ST
 owners and supporters and rightfully so.   It became readily apparent that
 the advertising  bux were going out the window only for the toys, gimmicks
 and hype.  Thus,  perpetuating the  game machine  image and  nothing more.
 Please remember  though, Sam  promised the userbase in the conferences one
 thing, (for  the second  year in  row), that  Atari would  begin a massive
 advertising  campaign  in  the  US  marketplace.    Naturally,  most of us
 understood this to mean  the  ST  series  of  computers  would  finally be
 accorded the proper promotion and recognition.  Little did we realize that
 the 'good minds at Atari' had other 'wonderful' plans.   
  
     In other areas, the snide cute  remarks directed  at serious, business
 minded developers  online have  returned.   The indirect and mucho evasive
 answers have returned.  The  release  of  new  products  and  the reliably
 predictable delays  of shipment  is still  with us.  (The Portfolio is the
 _only_ new product  shipping  in  the  US).    All,  of  which,  gives the
 impression  that  Atari's  spokespersons  and their management have a very
 poor regard for it's Developers -  Dealers  -  Users.    "The  more things
 change, the more they remain the same".  

     The blame is squarely on the shoulders of those at the very top.  When
 Sam, are you going to take control and not permit  what appears  to be the
 situation running  the business?  Better yet, when are you going to listen
 to the majority of Atari's supporters and correct  the pathetic conditions
 between the  Chef and the preponderance of the developers?  Must the "rude
 awakening" come all to late?  Will you wait until there are no developers?
 Will the  effort come when Atari's credibility is virtually non-exsistant?

  




       _____________________________________________________________



 > Maestro STR Review      An in depth review of another STOS goodie!
   ==================





                                                            STOS Maestro
                                                            ============


 From Mandarin Software


 by William Y. Baugh


     Maestro is a great new entry into the STOS family for the ST.  It is a
 full  featured  sampling  program  and  cartridge  (which may be purchased
 separately) that allows you  to incorporate  "real life"  sounds and music
 into your  STOS programs.   Examples of these types of sounds can be found
 in quite a few games; especially  recent  releases.    For  example, Blood
 Money (Psygnosis),  Rick Dangerous (Rainbird) and Populous (EA), to name a
 few, use digitized sounds for parts of their games.  Digitized sounds send
 games into  a new dimension of realism and fun if they are used correctly.
 The problem the ST  has is  that digitized  sounds take  up a considerable
 amount of processing time, thus slowing a game down when ever used; not to
 mention the memory used by these types of sounds (220K at 32kHz lasts only
 7 seconds).   Usually  you'll only hear very short samples that occur when
 not much is occurring.  Other  games have  awesome intro's  with digitized
 music...get's  old  after  you've  heard  it  a  few times, but impressive
 nonetheless.  Have you ever thought about sampling your own music?  Do you
 own STOS  and tired  of messing  around with  the ST's sound chip?  If so,
 read on.

     Maestro is an 8-bit sampling program (CD's are 14-bit...) that you may
 use,  as  stated  above,  with  the  Maestro  Plus cartridge or with other
 cartridges; namely ST Replay  4.   When loaded,  your first  impression is
 WOW!   The main control screen is extremely sharp.  You are presented with
 a centrally  displayed  STOS  Maestro  logo  with  two  spectrum analyzers
 flanking this.   Below  is the sample display area which is directly above
 the play and record area.  This area  is where  all of  your controls that
 directly affect  the sample  display area.  The controls are all displayed
 as icons with the last row being a scrolling area that displays  even more
 icons they didn't have room to place on the main screen.  When a sample is
 loaded, it is displayed in the sample display area as  one of  three ways;
 filled waveform, Envelope or waveform outline.  

     Using the magnify function, you may blow-up the sample to a maximum of
 15 times or 320  bytes which  ever comes  first.   There are  two position
 indicators controlled  by the  right and left mouse buttons that allow you
 to enclose the entire sample or just a small part of it.  There  is a size
 box above the display area that tells you how large the sample is that you
 have enclosed.  There is also a bar running the bottom of the display area
 that shows  how much  of your  systems memory the sample is using; another
 handy feature.  Playing the sample is just as easy as clicking on the play
 button.   You may play back a sample through the monitor speaker only, the
 one RCA jack available is only for input.   Replay speeds  go from 1-22kHz
 in 1kHz  increments.   You may  sample up to 32kHz with Maestro.  Remember
 the faster the rate, the better the sample, but the more memory used.  You
 may add  special effects  to your sample like reverb, echo, hall and flip.
 The manual goes into great detail  on sampling  and offers  great hints on
 making some  wild effects.  Editing the sample is just as easy as playing,
 with a full range of features to assist you.  To help out with  the memory
 crunch, Mandarin has included a Pack feature that compresses the sample to
 save on memory (these guys thought of most everything!)

     Now to the drawbacks.  For  starters, with  only having  one plug, you
 may  not  play  your  samples  through  a  stereo,  thus the limitation of
 playback speed.   This  won't matter  for games,  but if  you're trying to
 sample other  things...it's a  limitation.  Also the top sampling speed is
 32kHz; you need around 48kHz to approximate CD  quality.   This is  why at
 the beginning I mentioned ST Replay 4.  Replay 4 has both input and output
 plugs and can sample up to  50kHz and  is fully  Maestro compatible.   Use
 them both together, you have an unbeatable team!  Even if you're not using
 it for any STOS programs (Replay 4 handles GFA, Fast,  and HiSoft BASICs).
 Speaking  of  BASICS,  Maestro  adds  19  new  commands which allow you to
 painlessly  incorporate  digitized  sounds  into  existing  and  new  STOS
 programs.

     Included in  the package  is a  demo program  (great sounds), 50 small
 samples, a drum machine (with code), a real-time digital delay  program, a
 phaser program  (special effects) and a keyboard program.  All this with a
 fantastic manual at around  $40  (without  cartridge)  is  fantastic.   If
 you're interested  in sampling, but want to check it out first...check out
 STOS Maestro, it's well worth it. 






       ____________________________________________________________




 > ST REPORT CONFIDENTIAL
   ======================



 - Sunnyvale, CA.                      *******  ATARI NAMES NEW GM!  ******
   --------------

                         ATARI CORP. PRESS RELEASE
                         -------------------------
                              Sunnyvale, Ca.

                   Sub: New Official appointed at Atari

     I am pleased to announce that H. Michael (Mike) Morand joined Atari on
 September 25, 1989 as the President of Atari Computer (U.S.). 

     Mike will be responsible for all operational aspects of Atari Computer
 sales,  marketing,  distribution  and  administration  within  the  United
 States.    Mike  joins  us  from  AST  Research,  Inc.,  where he was Vice
 President of Systems Marketing and  was  responsible  for  launching their
 desktop computer products into the market.  

     In  addition,   Mike  was  in  charge  of  AST's  advertising,  public
 relations, and reseller  development.    Mike's  background  also includes
 experience  as  a  General  Manager,  and he has held several senior level
 sales and marketing  positions.    Previous  companies  he  has  been with
 include Xerox Corporation, Scientific Data Systems, Data Card Corporation,
 MSI Data Corporation,  and  Litton  Systems,  representing  over  25 years
 experience in  the computer industry.  Please join me in welcoming Mike to
 Atari.

                                                  Best Wishes,
                                                  Sam Tramiel






 - Redwood City, CA.                  *****  THIN ICE IN CALIFORNIA?  *****


     I talked with a  friend who  WAS employed  by EPYX  until recently, he
 said that  they have  layed off  everyone except for 16 employees and that
 they are mostly in top management..  they will  NOT be  producing hardware
 for any  computer systems.   They  are however, going to _TRY_ to keep the
 doors open by producing software for the Lynx and for the Nintendo.  Also,
 they said they are going to try to continue generating software for the ST
 but, they will be "Re-Marketing" it for others to sell..



 - Princeton, N.J.       ****  CITIZEN RUMORED TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY!  ****
   ---------------

     Citizen, (it is rumored), is not  inclined to  become involved further
 in  the  manufacture  of  LCD  screens  for  use  in  any game machines or
 otherwise, after the initial contracted amount is delivered.  According to
 our source,  this all  stems from past experiences in dealing with certain
 corporate leaders.




 - Tokyo, Japan          ****  CUSTOM CHIP MANUFACTURER HIKES PRICES!  ****
   ------------

     According  to  the  industry   grapevine,   a   certain   custom  chip
 manufacturer (AIX)  has TRIPLED  the price of certain of it's chips.  When
 they learned a certain game machine was being made by other than those who
 began it's manufacture. 




 - Sunnyvale, CA.   ****  PORTFOLIO DEV PAK A BARGAIN @ $700.00!  ****
   --------------

     In a  recent offering  to entice NEW developers and re-enlist existing
 developers to begin activities for the new Portfolio,  Atari has  sent out
 an introductory notice detailing the offering.  

 The new kit would include:

     o  Portfolio Computer                             $399.95
     o  Smart Parallel Interface                       $ 49.00
     o  128k Memory Card (2ea.)                        $399.90
     o  A.C. Adapter (117v,60Hz)                       $  9.95
     o  Technical Reference Guide                       ------
     o  Emulator Software                               ------
     o  1 yr Technical support                          ------
     o  90 day Limited Warranty                         ------
     o  Shipping                                        ------

                    RETAIL VALUE OF HARDWARE           $859.75

     Atari is  offering the above package to developers for the amazing low
 price of $700.00!   Atari has  in their  infinite wisdom  decided to allow
 prospective developers  the opportunity  to develop  software and hardware
 products (support Atari) for the Portfolio,  a $399.95  computer, for only
 three hundred dollars more than the computer lists for.  "Such a deal..."



  

 - Ahaheim, CA.                    ***** COLOR LCD IS A FIRM REALITY! *****
   ------------

     The  first  prototypes  of  a  color electroluminescent screen (what a
 breath!)will compete  with color  LCDs under  development to  be the first
 commercial color  flat-panel display.  Planar Systems, based in Beaverton,
 Oregon,  recently  shipped  prototypes  of  its  6-inch  electroluminscent
 display to  the U.S. Army's Electronic Technology and Devices Lab, in Fort
 Monmouth, New Jersey.  BYTE mag, in the  Oct. issue,   showed  where Sharp
 has a  14 inch,  16 color  lcd screen destination... a portable of course,
 the price $10,000.  But it proves that color is just around the corner and
 Atari  could  possibly  release  an  upgrade  for the STacy in the future.
 Maybe?  A sort of new flip-up?   What  Stacy needs  is an  internal GCR, a
 T16 and PCDitto II for the ultimate laptop!!!




 - LONDON, UK.                  ****** STACY IS SHIPPING IN EUROPE!! ******
   -----------

      This week  sees the  Personal Computer  Show (formerly  the PCW Show)
 taking place at Earls Court in London.  The show will open on Wednesday 27
 September, and  close at  the weekend.   Atari, however, has pre-announced
 several of its new products.  Atari will unveil a new range of 80286-based
 PCs along  with the  68030-based TT  series of workstations announced late
 last month in Dusseldorf,  West Germany.   In  addition, Atari  will begin
 shipping its Stacy portable ST with 20MB hard disk at UKP 1,299-99.
  
                             (Press Contact) 
                     Susan Turner, The Fitzroy Company
                             Tel 01-388-9871)





 - Sunnyvale, CA.       ******  LYNX TO SELL IN NYC AND LA ONLY!  ******
   --------------


     According to  the latest information available the highly touted Lynx,
 from Atari Corp., will be on sale for the Christmas  Season.   But only in
 two US  cities!  New York City and Los Angeles will have major toy outlets
 selling the  Lynx.   Reportedly, the  move in  this direction  was made to
 allow the  first 70,000 sales to reach the largest concentrated markets in
 the US.  





   _____________________________________________________________________




 > EZ DRAW 3.0 STReport InfoFile   EZ Draw 3.0 supports Bezier Curves
   =============================




 September 19, 1989

                              Easy-Draw Version 3.0 Special Release Notes
                              ===========================================



               This update file is divided into five sections:
                    1. Documentation Corrections
                    2. Enhancements
                                   Main Easy-Draw mode
                                   Spline Mode
                    3. Additional Tips and Hints
                    4. Technical Support
                    5. Compatibility with ST DTP Applications


      ************************* IMPORTANT ***************************
 One of the most important features that was  added at  the last  minute is
 extremely important  if you  are running  under the  newer TOS  1.2 or 1.4
 roms, and are loading your .GEM files into  any of  the Desktop Publishers
 which are  limited to  127 point  polylines.  SEE SECTION (2A) AND (5) FOR
 DETAILS.
      ***************************************************************


      1. ---- DOCUMENTATION CORRECTIONS: ----------------------------

 Page 2-15 In the third paragraph, the last sentence: "removed" 
           should be "moved".

 Page 2-16 First paragraph, selection [1], "F2" should be "F1" to 
           select Manual Mode.

 In an effort to insure  maximum  product  capability,  as  well  as proper
 printouts through  OUTPRINT, the  maximum Polyline limit (where the spline
 is divided into separate polylines) is  now  254  points!    This  is true
 whether you create the polyline with the Sketch, Polyline or Spline tools.

      2. ---- LATE BREAKING ENHANCEMENT NOTES: ----------------------

 MAIN EASY-DRAW MODE:

 (a)  Limiting Polylines to 127 Points on TOS 1.2/1.4 systems....

     Pressing the  F5 key at the main level of Easy-Draw 3.0 as soon as you
 enter the  program, will  display an  alert box  which will  enable you to
 select the lower 127 point limit for splines/polylines.  This is necessary
 in order to create and save filled splines/polylines  for use  in packages
 that can not load 255 point polylines.

 (b)  Moniterm Monitor Support.....

     This version  has also  been designed to work on the Moniterm "Viking"
 Large Screen monitor.  One of the visual changes is the pattern dialog box
 which now  appears right below the menu bar, centered on the current mouse
 position.

 SPLINE MODE:
 In order to help determine at exactly which control point (curve endpoint)
 the  system  limit  of  127  or  255 polyline points has been crossed, the
 following keyboard shortcut has been added.

             Pressing <ALT C>  Displays the following message:

           ______ Polyline Points used up to the selected point.

    * If more than one point is selected on the same curve, then 
      Alt-C will have no effect.

    * If you have one point selected on each of two or more      
      curves, the value reported will be valid for the point      
      located on the last curve which was entered.

 For the above reasons, we recommend that you have only one point 
 selected when using this alert.


      3. ---- TIPS AND HINTS ----------------------------------------

    (a) Maximizing the printout quality of a 127 point polyline curve.

      When you are designing a curved object that is symmetrical, 
      and are either running on a 127 point system, or are limited 
      by your Desktop Publishing package to 127 point polylines.  
      Use the following guide:

      Rather then limiting 1/2 of a symmetrical object to 64 points 
      because you are going to mirror and join the two halves (as 
      we did in the "telephone" example), you can use the full 
      limit in each half, and then after mirroring the object, 
      simply group the two objects together as opposed to joining 
      them.


     4.  ---- TECHNICAL SUPPORT -------------------------------------

 Problem:
 Printouts through OUTPRINT of  filled  splines  (Polylines)  which contain
 more than 127 polyline vertices are not correct.

 Solution: The system being used to print out the .GEM files is           
           not running  TOS version 1.2 or 1.4, and thereby limited        
  
           to filled polylines (splines) of 127 points.
                               or
           The new META.SYS which came with Easy-Draw 3.0 was not          

           installed onto  the system which was being used to save         

           the .GEM files.  (The files still load correctly back           
           into Easy-Draw 3.0, because they are rebuilt from the           
           control points.)
                               or
           The GDOS printer driver, and or OUTPRINT are not a           
           version 3.0 or higher.


      5. ----- Using with Desktop Publishing Packages ---------------

 The following list of products specifies  whether you  need to  limit your
 splines (which  are saved  as polylines  in the  .GEM file to 127 points).
 This limit is true as of the version tested, even if you are running  on a
 machine with  new roms  (1.2 or  1.4).  If you do save out a spline, which
 when loaded as a polyline has over 127 points, the result is  listed under
 ">127".
      
 If the  Publishing package  you use is limited to 127 points, then use the
 F5 key as described in 2A above to activate the 127 point  limit while you
 are working in Easy-Draw 3.0.

      NOTE: 
 If  you  want  to  load  your  bezier  designs  into a friend's version of
 Easy-Draw who has version 2.35 or less, then you will also need to use the
 lower limit.   This  is due  to the  fact that older versions of Easy-Draw
 will load the graphics as polylines, (with a 127 point limit).
  
     PRODUCT               VERSION   PUBLISHER   LOAD LIMIT   >127 
     Calamus                         (ISD)          127      BLANK
     Desktop Publisher ST   1.1      (Timeworks)    255       OK
     Easy-Draw              2.35     (Migraph)      127      BOMB

 The following two companies  will support  the enhanced  polyline limit of
 greater than 127 points with a near-term release:

     PageStream             1.58     (SoftLogik)    255  Awaiting release
     Fleet Street Publisher 3.0      (Michtron)     255  Awaiting release

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

 (This  version  is  not  a  normal  retail  distribution  product,  and is
 registered directly to the licensee of this diskette.)

                               Migraph, Inc.
                          200 S. 333rd. St. (220)
                           Federal Way, WA 98003
                               (206)838-4677






     _________________________________________________________________




 > WAACE ATARI FEST STR NewsPlus  Usergroups helping Atari and the users.
   =============================




            Washington Area Atari Computer Enthusiasts (WAACE)
                          Fifth Annual Atarifest 
                  Scheduled for October 7th and 8th, 1989


     The Washington  Area Atari  Computer Enthusiasts (WAACE) has announced
 that the fifth annual Washington  D.C.  area  Atarifest  will  be  held at
 Fairfax High  School, 3500  Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, Virginia on Saturday
 and Sunday, the  7th  and  8th  of  October.    Atarifest  is  a computing
 exposition featuring  the Atari  line of  personal and  home computers, as
 well as the complete  line of  entertainment systems.   The  show features
 educational   seminars   covering   nearly   all   areas   of   computing;
 demonstrations of various applications of Atari  computers, including MIDI
 music,  desktop  publishing,  and  entertainment; and exhibits by software
 publishers and hardware manufacturers  showing the  latest developments in
 the Atari world.  In the past, representatives from Atari Corporation have
 been on hand to answer questions and provide assistance.

     This year's theme is "The Atari Alternative," and the goal  is to show
 how Atari  computers can  be used  in business  and in  the home.  It will
 include demonstrations of both  eight-bit (400/800/XL/XE)  and ST software
 and hardware.   Whether  for creative  endeavors, helping with some of the
 household paperwork, or just to have fun, the organizers of  Atarifest '89
 intend  to  show  how  the  "Atari  Alternative"  can  meet and beat other
 computer systems in its class, and why Atari Corporation's motto is "Power
 Without the Price."

     WAACE  is  a  confederation  of  Atari  user  groups  in the Maryland,
 Virginia, and Washington, D.C.  area,  each  dedicated  to  supporting the
 Atari community  in their  respective areas.  Atarifest is co-sponsored by
 the  Fairfax  County  (Virginia)  Public  Schools'  Office  of  Adult  and
 Community Education,  and the  emphasis has  always been  on educating the
 public about computers and their uses.  The 1985 Washington  Atarifest was
 one of  the first  such shows,  which are  now held in more than 10 cities
 across the nation.

     Atarifest has grown in  popularity, attracting  thousands of attendees
 each year.   This year, organizers hope to attract over 5,000 people.  The
 show is open to all persons  who have  an interest  in computing,  and the
 FREE ADMISSION and hourly door prizes (including an Atari hard disk drive)
 encourage attendance by those who may not yet own an  Atari computer.   It
 is especially  designed to  have something  of interest for everyone, from
 diehard Atarians to mainframe systems managers to computer neophytes.

     Fairfax High School is located  at  3500  Old  Lee  Highway,  just off
 routes 29  and 50  in Fairfax,  Virginia.   The school can conveniently be
 reached from the Vienna Metro station (Orange line) by taking  the Fairfax
 Cue bus.   Hours  of the show are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, and
 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.  Most user group demonstrations  will be
 conducted on  Saturday only.  For further information, call John Barnes at
 (301) 652-0667. 
   
                     For further information contact:

                    Gary Purinton       (703) 264-8826
                    John Barnes         (301) 652-0667

                          Vendors should contact:

                    Johnna Ogden        (703) 450-3992.




                           Alive and Thriving
                  
                       WAACE AtariFest 89 - Infogram
                               
                               89/09/16

   For those  of you who  *may* have  gotten the  wrong impression  from ST
 Informer we  would like  to report   that WAACE  AtariFest '89  is well on
 its way to becoming the Atari event of the year on the East Coast.

 Here are a few of the Features: (exact names or titles subject to change)

               Vendors/Developers/Publications in attendance:
               ----------------------------------------------
  
     ASDE Inc./ST Plug       Accusoft               Accustar
     Alpha Systems           Atari Corp             Best Electronics
     Cal Com                 Codehead Software      Current Notes
     Debonair Software       Diskcovery             Diverse Data Prod      
     Double Click Soft.      Electronic Clinic      First Stop
     Gribnif                 GEnie                  I.C.D.
     Johnsware               Joppa Computer         L & Y Electronics
     Lantech                 Magnetic Images        Michtron
     Orion Microsystems         Rock  Digital           STReport/CPU Report
     ST Informer             ST Log                 Seymor Radix
     Softrek                 Strata Software        Toad Computers
     Unicorn Publications    Wintertech             Wizztronics
     Xlent Software          Z*Mag/ZNet

 Also, reps from ISD Marketing, FAST Tech, Gadgets  by Small,  and STReport
 Online will  be on hand helping out in User Group Demo Rooms and/or giving
 Seminars.

     Demonstrations (Saturday Only) 
               (See printed schedule available at Fest)

      Telecommunications      Art and Graphics       Mac Emulation
      Desktop Publishing      MIDI                   MS-DOS Emulation
      Business Applications   Games
      Hardware Add-ons        Programming Languages

 Door Prizes:
                    Saturday - Grand Prize - Atari ST Computer
                    Dozens of others - Announced every few minutes
                    Sunday - Grand Prize - Hard Drive from ABCO

 Seminars:
      Saturday. 7 October                   Sunday, 8 October
        1100 - Computers and Kids             1300 - To Be Announced
               D. A. Brumleve
        1200 - Ask ST Report                  1400 - Atari In Science
               Ralph Mariano                         A. Wrotniak - Debonair
        1300 - Alternative Desktops           1500 - Atari Hardware Futures
               Rick Flashman - Gribnif               Panel: D. Small, James
        1400 - Hard Disk Systems                     Allen, David Troy.
               Tom Harker - ICD               1600 - Atari Corp Speaks
        1500 - Speeding up the ST                    Sig Hartmann - Atari
               Wayne Buckholdt - Softrek   All Day - Musicians and MIDI
        1600 - Desktop Publishing
               Gordon Monnier - Michtron

 Hospitality:

    1800 - Hospitality Suites - Fairfax Quality Inn
          1930 - Cocktail Hour - Hunan Lion Rest
               2000 - AtariFest Banquet - Hunan Lion Restaurant

                    Current Notes Author of the Year
                    Atari's World - Sig Hartmann

 User Group Leadership Workshop - 0900 Sunday - Bob Brodie
                    (UG Representatives by Invitation)
                                           ----------

 Vendors should contact Johnna Ogden at 703-450-3991 for information.

 Program advertisers: 
               Please send camera-ready copy in 6 3/4 x 10 format to:
               Steve Rudolph, 11914 Galaxy Lane, 
               Bowie, MD, 20715 
               Before 22 September.  
               Payment of $60 (check payable to WAACE) must accompany copy.


 Banquet ticket requests:
               Russell  Brown,  13715  Mapledale  Ave, 
               Dale City,  VA,  22193.    
               Payment  of $20 per ticket 
               (check Payable to WAACE) must accompany order.

 Other Information:  
               John  D. Barnes,  WAACE Chairman,  
               7710 Chatham Rd,
               Chevy Chase,  MD 20815.   
               GENie:  J.D.BARNES.  Phone: 301-652-0667
                    (return calls collect).
 Lodging: 
               Quality Inn of Fairfax - $49.50 per night. 
               Be  sure  to  mention  AtariFest  when  reserving (before 25
               September).

 WAACE wishes to express its appreciation for the support we  have received
 from the  Atari world.  This Fest is truly an expression of "Power without
 the Price".





     ________________________________________________________________





 > MASS STORAGE STReport InfoFile    When only the best is good enough...
   ==============================




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                    FAX: 904-783-3319  12 PM - 6 AM EDT
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         51mb #SGN4951   629.00              65mb #SG60101   679.00
         80mb #SGN296    709.00             100mb #SG84011D  969.00
        130mb #SG1244D  1099.00             145mb #SG3A4210  989.00
        170mb #SGT41776 1389.00             260mb #SG1244Q  2169.00
                          320mb #SGN7788Q 3295.00

           Listed above are a sampling of the systems available.
      Prices also reflect various cabinet/power supply configurations
    (over sixty configurations are available, flexibility is unlimited)
                                        

            *** ALL Units: Average Access Time: 24ms - 34ms ***

    ALL UNITS COMPATIBLE WITH --> MAGIC SAC - PC-DITTO/II - SPECTRE/GCR
                                        
             LARGER units are available - (special order only)

         * Removable Media Devices Available (44mb) Syquest 555 *
                                        
                 ***  Available for ST - Amiga - IBM   ***
                                        
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                       904-783-3319    9am - 8pm EDT







    ___________________________________________________________________




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



                         "Tis a far better thing....
             to embrace the truth, than to admit a falsehood"!

                                                  ..The Silent Majority
  


                             "ATARI IS BACK?"

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ST-REPORT Issue #107   "Your Independent News Source"  September 29, 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.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------


