> Atari "Trak-Ball" for sale. It has a trackball/joystick switch. > Brand new condition. Asking for $15 plus postage or best offer.
I might nte, for those of you who were looking for a trackball, that Kaybee Toys, an apaprently nationwide chain, is selling Atari trackballs for $8. Also radio controlled joysticks, a pair for $12, but those just seem so decadent...
Disclaimer: I have no relationship with Kaybee Toys except as a customer. (I buy all my bubble-soap there.)
Mail was not delivered to the following users because there were bad address(es) in TO and/or CC field(s): info-atari UNDELIVERED-MESSAGE: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Received: from BBN.COM by WALKER-EMH.ARPA ; 1 Oct 87 03:52:47 GMT Received-2: from score.stanford.edu by BBN.COM id aa24043; 30 Sep 87 17:32 EDT Date: Wed 30 Sep 87 10:21:38 PDT Subject: Info-Atari8 Digest V87 #86 From: Info-Atari8 @ SCORE.STANFORD.EDU Errors-to: Info-Atari8-requ@Score.Stanford.EDU Maint-Path: Info-Atari8-requ@Score.Stanford.EDU To: Info-Atari8 Distribution List: Reply-to: Info-Ata@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU Text: Info-Atari8 Digest Wednesday, September 30, 1987 Volume 87 : Issue 86
This weeks Editor: Bill Westfield
Today's Topics:
Welcome message information new welcome message Re: ARC file format?
Mail-From: G.ABRAMS created at 29-Sep-87 18:59:04 Date: Tue 29 Sep 87 18:59:04-PDT From: Info-Atari Moderator <G.ABR@Score.Stanford.EDU> Subject: Welcome message information To: info-ata@Score.Stanford.EDU, info-atar@Score.Stanford.EDU
From time to time I am reminded by a message asking the operation of the lists that it is necessary to periodically send out the welcome message. It contains valuable information about the location of information.
I would appreciate receiving updates to this information (sent to abr@mitre.arpa) and offers to help fix whatever is broken. At present I have some doubts about certain items; I hope I am wrong.
Marshall Abrams
1. Welcome _ _______
Welcome to info-atari.
2. Sending Messages _ _______ ________
You may send messages to all "subscribers" by address- ing it to info-ata@score.stanford.edu and/or info-atar@score.stanford.edu
Administrative messages should be sent to info-atari{8,16}-request.
Please do NOT send general messages to this address. Your moderators get enough mail as it is!
3. Ground Rules _ ______ _____
All messages should be in good taste. Commercial mes- sages and advertisements are not permitted. When answering a question, please consider carefully whether the answer should go to the whole list, or just to the person who asked the question.
The following ground rules should make the use of this (or of any other) mailing list much easier:
* never send a message that a totally irrelevant to the mailing list's purpose to a mailing list. This especially includes any expressions of irritation at another list member.
* never forward a message that is totally irrelevant to the mailing list's purpose to a mailing list.
* when replying to a message on a mailing list, reply only to the sender of the message unless the reply is of interest to the entire mailing list.
* avoid inserting the message being replied to in a reply, especially in a message going to a mailing list. The context of the reply should be clear from *your* reply and from various mailer functionalities such as Message-ID.
* when replying to an earlier reply that violates the previous rule, ABSOLUTELY DO NOT make matters worse by adding your own violation.
4. LISTSERV _ ________
LISTSERV provides a number of features which you can access by sending mail (note) to LISTSERV. Only the barest minimum are described herein. On Bitnet messages should be sent to your nearest LISTSERV (the one from which you receive the info-atari digests). (If your address is not on Bitnet, an address for file servers is given below.) All mail sent to LISTSERV contains command lines. LISTSERV will respond by return mail. No subject is necessary in such mail. For more information send the command INFO
4.1. List Names _ _ ____ _____
The list_name for 16-bit Ataris is INFO-A16. The list_name for 8-bit Ataris is INFO-A8. These list names are used by Bitnet addressees for subscribing and unsubscribing and by everyone for obtaining back copies of news digests. The list_names for programs stored in the archives are PROG-A16 and PROG-A8.
4.2. (Un)Subscribing _ _ __ ___________
If you are on Bitnet you may add or remove yourself from the distribution list. It would greatly convenience the moderators if you would do so when you no longer wish to receive digests.
The command to join the list is SUBSCRIBE list_name User_name
The command to remove yourself from the list is UNSUBSCRIBE list_name
Note that the list was established with all user_names unknown. To enter your name, send a SUBSCRIBE command.
It would be most convenient if users took care of their own subscribing and unsubscribing, but messages to INFO- ATARI-REQUEST{8,1@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU will still be accepted.
4.3. File Server (Archives) _ _ ____ ______ ________
The following service is being installed beginning February 1987; we will announce when everything is in place and "known" to be working.
All messages are in the archives. In addition, some contributed programs are also there. You can obtain copies of files from LISTSERV by sending a message in the specified format.
If you are on ARPAnet (or gatewayed to it), your mail should be addressed to LISTSERV%CANADA01.BIT@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
To obtain a list of files in the file server, the com- mand is INDEX list_name
The command to obtain a specific file is GET list_name file_name
for example, GET INFO-A16 87-00076
If you want to learn more, send the message HELP
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Aug 87 17:00:37 EDT From: abrams%community-chest.mitre.@gateway.mitre.org To: g.abr@score.stanford.edu Subject: new welcome message
1. Welcome _ _______
Welcome to info-atari.
2. Sending Messages _ _______ ________
You may send messages to all "subscribers" by address- ing it to info-ata@score.stanford.edu and/or info-atar@score.stanford.edu
Administrative messages should be sent to info-atari{8,16}-request.
Please do NOT send general messages to this address. Your moderators get enough mail as it is!
3. Ground Rules _ ______ _____
All messages should be in good taste. Commercial mes- sages and advertisements are not permitted. When answering a question, please consider carefully whether the answer should go to the whole list, or just to the person who asked the question.
The following ground rules should make the use of this (or of any other) mailing list much easier:
* never send a message that a totally irrelevant to the mailing list's purpose to a mailing list. This especially includes any expressions of irritation at another list member.
* never forward a message that is totally irrelevant to the mailing list's purpose to a mailing list.
* when replying to a message on a mailing list, reply only to the sender of the message unless the reply is of interest to the entire mailing list.
* avoid inserting the message being replied to in a reply, especially in a message going to a mailing list. The context of the reply should be clear from *your* reply and from various mailer functionalities such as Message-ID.
* when replying to an earlier reply that violates the previous rule, ABSOLUTELY DO NOT make matters worse by adding your own violation.
4. Archives _ ________
Archives are kept in several places in formats avail- able to everyone. As described below, if you are on ARPANET/DDN you will probably find it more convenient to retrieve files from the archive on radc-softvax.arpa using FTP. If you are not on ARPANET/DDN, or are unable to use FTP, you will be able to retrieve files from archives dis- tributed over several Bitnet hosts by sending mail (notes) to a program called LISTSERV.
Files from radc-softvax.arpa are available by FTP. FTP will work only for hosts directly connected to ARPANET/DDN. Please obtain local documentation and advice for the FTP user programming running on your host. There are two direc- tories under the anonymous account. One for atari8 and one for atari16.
FTP to radc-softvax using login:guest and password:guest. To get the current list of available atari16 files do a 'get atari16/files.doc'. All of the atari16 files are stored in the atari16 subdirectory. If you need any other information, contact Marc Poulin.
The archive is maintained by Rodney Peck (Peck@radc- multics.arpa) and Marc Poulin (Pou@radc-multics.arpa or Archi@radc-softvax.arpa).
4.2. LISTSERV _ _ ________
LISTSERV provides access to files for everyone who can send mail, independent of their location. Note, however, that intermediate notes have been known to refuse to handle long messages or have damaged them in transit. LISTSERV provides a number of features which you can access by send- ing mail (note) to LISTSERV. Only the barest minimum are described herein. On Bitnet messages should be sent to your nearest LISTSERV (the one from which you receive the info- atari digests). (If your address is not on Bitnet, an address for file servers is given below.) All mail sent to LISTSERV contains command lines.
...
2.
InfoMail-Mailer
More options
Oct 4 1987, 12:31 pm
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
From: InfoMail-Mai@WALKER-EMH.ARPA.UUCP -
Date: Sat, 3-Oct-87 23:31:00 EDT
Subject: Undeliverable Mail
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Mail was not delivered to the following users because there were bad address(es) in TO and/or CC field(s): info-atari UNDELIVERED-MESSAGE: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Received: from BBN.COM by WALKER-EMH.ARPA ; 4 Oct 87 03:26:27 GMT Received-2: from score.stanford.edu by BBN.COM id aa27657; 3 Oct 87 23:24 EDT Date: Sat 3 Oct 87 17:51:40 PDT Subject: Info-Atari8 Digest V87 #87 From: Info-Atari8 @ SCORE.STANFORD.EDU Errors-to: Info-Atari8-requ@Score.Stanford.EDU Maint-Path: Info-Atari8-requ@Score.Stanford.EDU To: Info-Atari8 Distribution List: Reply-to: Info-Ata@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU Text: Info-Atari8 Digest Saturday, October 3, 1987 Volume 87 : Issue 87
This weeks Editor: Bill Westfield
Today's Topics:
Critcism or Embarassment,ATARI corp? Standalone OmniCom Re: Need modem help New Atari Hardware News
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 87 16:23 EDT From: <DFLINT02%ULKYVX.BIT@forsythe.stanford.edu> Subject: Critcism or Embarassment,ATARI corp? To: info-ata@score.stanford.edu X-Original-To: info-ata@score.stanford.edu
Tramiel and many members of his staff have considered the 8-bit machine, enhanced, as a competitor for the ST. Also the Game machine image of the ATARI 8-bits machines does not seem to warrant any type of upgrade. I have stated that i would support any upgrades that ATARI would develope for the 8-bit. Besides a little criticism never hurts. Tramiel does not take the 8-bit to seriously. JWT and Landon Dyer are the most helpful people atari has on this net.
Answer this question why did a ATARI try to block the release of the PD 8-bit emulator for the ST????? Don't quote Propietary OS.
Mike Buford (Novice Hardware Hacker!) (An ACTION Programmer!) Dflint02@ulkyvx or Cl150@ulkyvm.bitnet
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Posted-From: The MITRE Corp., Bedford, MA To: info-ata@score.stanford.edu Subject: Standalone OmniCom Date: Fri, 02 Oct 87 17:55:16 EDT From: j@mitre-bedford.ARPA
A couple of weeks ago, I posted a new "shareware" version of CDY's OmniCom to the net. Unlike the original OmniCom, this version does not require the installation of the OMNIVIEW chip. I have the feeling it made it out to BITNET but not to the ARPA side. Did anybody on the ARPAnet receive it? If not, is anyone interested? I can either e-mail it or (if there is enough demand) post it again.
OmniCom is a vt100 emulator with 80-column display and support for kermit, xmodem, and plain ASCII data capture and send from file. Also, it has a handy "Print Screen" function for printing short messages. I have found it highly satisfactory for use with my VAX screen editor, and have not even needed to install a special termcap file -- it acts just like a real vt100 in almost all respects.
-John Sangster / j@mitre-bedford.arpa
------------------------------
Date: 2 Oct 87 16:04:27 PDT (Friday) Subject: Re: Need modem help From: eki@ARDEC.Arpa To: mbeez.Hous@Xerox.COM
GVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGV From: "Edmund S. Kijak" (IMD-IPAO) <eki@ARDEC.ARPA> To: decvax!cg-d!gil@UCBVAX.Berkeley.EDU cc: info-ata@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU Subject: Re: Need modem help Return-Path: <@Score.Stanford.EDU:eki@ARDEC.ARPA> Redistributed: XeroxAtari8Users^.X Received: from Score.Stanford.EDU by Xerox.COM ; 04 FEB 87 07:18:38 PST Received: from ARDEC-3.ARPA by SCORE.STANFORD.EDU with TCP; Wed 4 Feb 87 06:28:48-PST Original-Date: Wed, 4 Feb 87 9:28:56 EST Message-ID: <8702040928.aa14@ARDEC-3.ARDEC.ARPA> GVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGV
I don't know how to do it, but you ought to be able to use any modem with your 8 bit machine. I found out by accident that the 8-bit operating system which is built into the machine (i.e., it's there even if you don't have a disk drive)includes software for inputting and outputting data on the serial port. It follows the standard custom of sending the bytes out one bit at a time on a single pin. Incoming data is received on another pin of the serial port. Each byte is preceded by a start bit, and is followed by a stop bit, and the data bits are ordered least-significant-bit first, six more bits, most-significant bit last. This is standard asynchronous serial transmission with 8 data bits, one start bit, one stop bit, no parity. The baud rate is settable by pokeing the appropriate memory locations, and setting up the serial port for asynchronous I/O is also done by pokeing appropriate codes into the right addresses. Sorry, I don't have the addresses or the values that must go into them. These can be found in the hardware manual, or other published literature.You may have to write your own software to configure the port and input and output the data, unless your already have some program that interfaces with a modem or does terminal emulation. On the hardware side, the voltage levels used by the serial port are not compatible with what a modem expects to see. The serial port operates at TTL levels: logic 0 = zero volts, logic 1 = 5 volts. The modem expects RS-232 levels: logic 0 = +3 to +24 (I think) volts, logic 1 = -3 to -24 volts. You must provide the hardware to do the voltage level translation. The easiest way to do this is to use a chip such as the Maxim MAX232 which requires only 5 volts and can be powered by the 5 v pin in the serial port itself. This chip generates its own +9 and -9 volts for the RS232 levels and translates incoming RS232 levels to TTL levels. Only a few external components need to be connected to the chip (a few small capacitors and resistors) and the circuit is very simple (see MAX232 data sheet). I'm amazed at the number of features that were included in the original 8-bit machines that were not advertised or brought to the attention of purchasers. Included at no additional expense were horizontal and vertical smooth and coarse scrolling, animation by page flipping, custom display lists, sprites, joystick ports that can be used for output as well as input, paddle ports that can accept photocell and resistance thermometer inputs, tone generation for dialing touch tone phones, asynchronous serial port for communicating with modems or other (multivendor) computers. And all this stuff was accessible through BASIC, worked with only 16kbits of memory, and didn't require a disk drive or expansion box.
------------------------------
Date: 2 Oct 87 09:22:04 GMT From: motsj1!mcdchg!upba!eecae!conk@hplabs.hp.com (Terry Conklin) Subject: New Atari Hardware News To: info-ata@score.stanford.edu
The following is a collection of hardware announcements that I have collected as a function of being the Admin for the Club Network. I always try and keep the Club's 8-bit people abreat of the latest news, so, while commercial in nature, this isn't meant as an ad proper as much as a list of new hardware and software that I have found for the 8-bit.
From Terrific Corp. I have received the following information about this home control system: "The X-10 POWERMANAGER SYSTEM
Now you can finally use your Atari Home Computer to conveniently create, store and recall programs that can be loaded into the X-10 PowerHouse controller to control lights, appliances and other devices hooked up to X-10 control modules throughout your home.
There are two X-10 interface kits available from Terrific Corp. One kit includes an X--10 PowerHouse Computer interface, a special Atari interface adaptor and the Powermanager software. For those who already have the PowerHouse computer interface, the software and adaptor are available seperately.
The Powermanager software takes full advantage of the PowerHous interface. Features include:
-Up to 256 modules can be individually controlled. Modules can be grouped together to allow control of an 'infinite' number of devices. -Lights and appliances can be programmed to turn on or off at specified times through the use of a timer event schedule. In addition, lights can be programmed to dim to 16 intenstities. -Timer event schedules can hold up to 128 events, a single event can control up to 16 modules. -Timer event schedules can be created, stored and edited on disk. -Modules can be controlled instantly from the Atari. -Software allows use of joystick or keyboard -48K required, machine language, drive.
Terrific Corp. 17 St Mary's Court Brooklin, MA 02146 (617) 232-2317"
You all know these things. The dreaded BSR controller returns. Actually, these really ARE cool. I have a friend with equivalent software on his TRS Coco. It's all very impressive and neat. The only problem is that control modules get expensive as you wire up a whole house. He bought out an RS inventory at $3 a module or so. The only way to do it.
More exciting Atari 8bit hardware came recently from the yet scarier IRATA VERLAG corp. Their offerings included:
512K card for the 800XL....$170 512K special chip for use with above card............$52 Card and Chip together.....$200 6 OS System Box : Basically the equivalent of the RAM-ROD XL. This allows you to have 6 diffeent OS chips and then to select amongst them with a switch. ...........................$50 HIGH CHIP: for people who have the Happy drive enhancement. This chip has a hidden menu. Hold don select while you press RESET and you get a menu with the options for COLD START, SECTOR COPY, or TURN HAPPY ON/OFF. "Saves times." ...........................$50 XE CHIP WITH RAMDISK.......$75 (doesn't say anything else!) OLD SYS CHIP: Replacement OS chip for XL/XE's for 400/800 compatibility ...........................$??? ------------------------------- All chips that have something to do with the Happy have a special feature. For people who know machine language, the happy can load any protected disk into the happy
...
3.
InfoMail-Mailer
More options
Oct 8 1987, 11:26 pm
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
From: InfoMail-Mai@WALKER-EMH.ARPA -
Date: Thu, 8-Oct-87 10:26:00 EDT
Subject: Undeliverable Mail
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Mail was not delivered to the following users because there were bad address(es) in TO and/or CC field(s): info-atari UNDELIVERED-MESSAGE: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Received: from BBN.COM by WALKER-EMH.ARPA ; 8 Oct 87 13:55:58 GMT Received-2: from score.stanford.edu by BBN.COM id aa07823; 8 Oct 87 9:44 EDT Date: Tue 6 Oct 87 10:03:26 PDT Subject: Info-Atari8 Digest V87 #88 From: Info-Atari8 @ SCORE.STANFORD.EDU Errors-to: Info-Atari8-requ@Score.Stanford.EDU Maint-Path: Info-Atari8-requ@Score.Stanford.EDU To: Info-Atari8 Distribution List: Reply-to: Info-Ata@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU Text: Info-Atari8 Digest Tuesday, October 6, 1987 Volume 87 : Issue 88
This weeks Editor: Bill Westfield
Today's Topics:
Standalone (shareware) OmniCom XF551 and ADOS kermit information some silly programs Dhrystone figures for the Atari 800xl SX212 info sought What's the right way...
Posted-From: The MITRE Corp., Bedford, MA To: info-ata@score.stanford.edu Subject: Standalone (shareware) OmniCom Date: Sat, 03 Oct 87 23:47:45 EDT From: j@mitre-bedford.ARPA
Steven Grove, your message arrived with no useable return path, so I am unable to reply directly.
Steve comments that he would like to download OmniCom but has no terminal software with which to download it. This situation keeps coming up. Can't somebody come up with a simple downloading program? The following program might be turned into something that can be used for this purpose by adding some machinery to buffer the received data in a string, then CLOSE the serial I/O and write the string to a file. Steve, maybe you could be the one to get this working. Meanwhile, the program below, as it stands, may be enough to let you at least log in as a dumb terminal. You may have to fiddle to get it working, but it is what Avatex publishes with their modem as a simple terminal program.
-John S. -------------------------------c-u-t---h-e-r-e-------------------------------- 10 GOTO 310:REM Dumb Terminal Prog. 100 STATUS #3,AVAR:IF PEEK(747)=0 THEN 200 120 GET #3,CHAR:IF CHAR=0 OR CHAR=10 THEN 200 130 PUT #4,CHAR 200 IF PEEK(764)=255 THEN 100 210 GET #2,KEY:PUT #3,KEY:GOTO 100 300 REM I/O Setup for Dumb Terminal. 310 OPEN #2,4,0,"K:" 320 OPEN #3,13,0,"R:" 330 OPEN #4,8,0,"E:" 340 XIO 34,#3,192+48+3,0,"R:" 350 XIO 40,#3,0,0,"R:" 360 GOTO 100:REM Go to it!
[I have a very simple basic program for the IBM PC that downloads files using the xmodem protocol. It might be easilly convertable to the atari. Someone drop me a note if they are interested... B@Score.stanford.edu]
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Date: Mon, 5 Oct 87 08:44:19 EDT From: laz@gateway.mitre.org To: info-ata@score.stanford.edu Subject: XF551 and ADOS
I have seen the XF551 advertized in ANTIC, but haven't seen any word on the ADOS that supposedly accompanies it. You would think this would be a big deal and worthy of a review. Anyone seen the drive for real or used ADOS? Walt Lazear (laz@gateway.mitre.org)
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Date: Mon, 5 Oct 87 14:31:14 PDT From: dav@tc.fluke.com (David Pryor) To: info-ata@score.stanford.edu Subject: kermit information
I have a little problem. I would like to have a copy of kermit on my atari but have no way of down loading it to the atari. I would be willing to mail a disk and a stamped mailer if some one would be willing to copy it for me. Thanks in advance
Dave Pryor dav@tc.fluke.COM
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Posted-From: The MITRE Corp., Bedford, MA To: info-ata@score.stanford.edu Subject: some silly programs Date: Mon, 05 Oct 87 22:48:52 EDT From: j@mitre-bedford.ARPA
Probably everybody who ever got a home computer must have written one of each of the following programs, but I thought a few readers of these postings might find them useful nevertheless, especially "APRPROG.BAS", which computes the effective Annual Percentage Rate of a loan.
-John Sangster / j@mitre-bedford.arpa ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MORTGAGE.BAS - Simple loan payment calculator. Given the Annual Percentage Rate of interest, the number of payments per year (normally 12), and the total number of PAYMENTS in which loan is to be paid off, returns the monthly payment amount. (E.g. for 30 years of monthly payments, there are 360 payments.) The above is obtained by "RUN" or GOTO 100. If you start the program instead with "GOTO 400", it prints, on your printer, a table of "dollars per thousand" loan amounts for a range of interest rates you select and for a set of convenient loan durations (15, 20, 25, 30 years). (C) 1987 by John H. Sangster, placed in the public domain for non-commercial use; all commercial rights reserved. -------------------C-u-t---h-e-r-e---f-o-r---MORTGAGE.LST--------------------- 100 PRINT "}" 110 PRINT "MORTGAGE CALCULATOR by JHS" 120 ? "Revised 10 August 1986":? 130 N=300:NOLD=300:REM 25 YEARS 140 PRINT "ANNUAL PERCENT INTEREST"; 149 TRAP 162 150 INPUT I:IF I>0 THEN GOTO 170 160 IF I>0 THEN GOTO 170 161 PRINT "I <=0, SO..." 162 END 170 IF I>=1 THEN GOTO 200 180 I=I*100:? "TIMES 100 ASSUMED" 181 GOSUB 320 200 PRINT "PAYMENT PERIODS/YEAR"; 205 TRAP 211 210 INPUT K:GOTO 220 211 ? "MONTHLY PAYMENTS ASSUMED":K=12:GOSUB 320 220 IF K<=0 THEN STOP 230 LET IP=I/(K*100):REM INT/PERIOD 240 PRINT "TOTAL NR OF PAYMENTS"; 245 NOLD=N:TRAP 255 250 INPUT N:IF N<=0 THEN STOP 251 GOTO 260 255 N=NOLD:? "ASSUMING N=";:? N:GOSUB 320 260 GOSUB 265:GOTO 270 265 LET R=IP/(1-(1+IP)^-N):RETURN 270 PRINT "MULTIPLIER=";R 279 TRAP 140 280 PRINT "AMOUNT BORROWED";:INPUT A 290 IF A<=0 THEN PRINT :GOTO 140 300 P=INT(A*R*100+0.5)/100:PRINT P 310 GO TO 279 320 SOUND 0,85,10,15:FOR J=1 TO 40:NEXT J:SOUND 0,0,0,0:RETURN 400 REM Print Table of $/1000 410 ? "Starting APR";:INPUT APR1 420 ? " Ending APR";:INPUT APR2 430 ? " Step in APR";:INPUT ASTEP 432 CLOSE #1:OPEN #1,8,0,"P:" 433 PRINT #1,," Dollars Per Thousand Per Month":PRINT #1," " 434 PRINT #1," ","APR"," 15 Years"," 25 Years"," 30 Years":PRINT #1 440 FOR APR=APR1 TO APR2 STEP ASTEP 450 IP=APR/(K*100):N=180:GOSUB 265:R15=R*1000:N=300:GOSUB 265:R25=R*1000 455 N=360:GOSUB 265:R30=R*1000:PRINT #1,,APR,R15,R25,R30 460 NEXT APR ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ APRPROG.BAS - Computes Annual Percentage Rate (APR) from amount of loan, number of monthly payments, and amount of monthly payment (principal plus interest). Uses functional iteration method based on Contraction Mapping Theorem. (C) 1987 by John H. Sangster, placed in the Public Domain for non-commercial use; all commercial rights reserved. --------------------C-u-t---h-e-r-e---f-o-r---APRPROG.LST--------------------- 100 REM Program to compute APR (Annual Percentage Rate) from loan amt A, Payment P, and nr of payments N. 110 ? "Truth-in-Lending Interest Rate" 120 ? "Calculator - JHS 28 July 1986" 130 ? :TRAP 600 140 ? "Loan Amount";:INPUT A:? "Monthly Payment";:INPUT P:? "Total Nr of Payments";:INPUT N 150 IF A=0 THEN ? "AMOUNT=0 - INTEREST IS UNDEFINED":GOSUB 1000:GOTO 140 155 PA=P/A:I=PA 160 FOR J=1 TO 100 170 IOLD=I 180 GOSUB 500 190 IF ABS(I-IOLD)/IOLD<1E-12 THEN 300 200 NEXT J 210 ? "No convergence!":GOSUB 1000:GOTO 140 300 ? "CONVERGED AFTER ";J;" ITERATIONS" 400 ? "APR=";I*1200;" PERCENT PER ANNUM" 410 ? :GOTO 140 500 REM Iteration to improve estimate of I: 510 I=PA*(1-(1+I)^(-N)) 520 RETURN 600 ? :? "Use BREAK to exit to BASIC.":? :GOTO 110 1000 SOUND 0,65,12,15:FOR I=1 TO 120:NEXT I:SOUND 0,0,0,0:RETURN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHEKBOOK.BAS - Simple checkbook balancing aid. Nothing fancy, just does the dirty work. Main advantage over a calculator is that the program helps you keep your place by automatically incrementing the check number as you enter check amounts. (C) 1987 by John H. Sangster - Placed in the public domain for non-commercial use; all commercial rights reserved. ----------------------C-u-t---h-e-r-e---f-o-r---CHEKBOOK.LST------------------ 10 REM Simple Checkbook Program 11 REM JHS 06/08/86 Version 1.0 12 REM Command interpreter to be 13 REM added in later version. 15 DIM A$(40):TRAP 200:BAL=0 200 REM Startup Routines 220 DIM C(100):DIM D(300) 1000 REM F - Forward Balance 1005 TRAP 2000 1010 ? "Balance forward from prev stmt":INPUT BALF:BAL=BALF 2000 REM C - Enter Credit Items 2010 ? "Enter credit items (deposits,":? "interest, corrections etc.)," 2020 ? "followed by RETURN, or just RETURN":? "to end input.":NC=0 2030 FOR I=1 TO 100:INPUT A$:IF LEN(A$)=0 THEN GOTO 3000 2035 C(I)=VAL(A$) 2040 BAL=BAL+C(I):NC=I:NEXT I 3000 REM D - Debits: checks & charges 3010 ? "Enter debits(checks&charges)" 3020 ? "Start with checks, beginning with":? "check number";:NCHK=0 3025 TRAP 3030:INPUT A$:NCHK=VAL(A$):ND=0 3030 FOR I=1 TO 300:? NCHK;" ";:INPUT A$:IF LEN(A$)=0 THEN GOTO 4000 3040 D(I)=VAL(A$):BAL=BAL-D(I) 3050 ND=I:IF D(I)>=0 THEN NCHK=NCHK+1 3060 IF D(I)<0 THEN NCHK=NCHK-1 3070 NEXT I 4000 REM Final Output Section 4010 TC=0:TD=0 4020 IF NC>0 THEN FOR I=1 TO NC:TC=TC+C(I):NEXT I 4030 IF ND>0 THEN FOR I=1 TO ND:TD=TD+D(I):NEXT I 4090 ? "STARTING BALANCE WAS $";BALF 4100 ? "TOTAL CREDITS $";TC;" # ITEMS: ";NC 4101 ? "TOTAL DEBITS $";TD;" # ITEMS: ";ND 4102 ? "ENDING BALANCE IS $";BAL:? :? 4110 ? "DO NEXT MONTH";:INPUT A$:IF A$(1,1)="Y" THEN BALF=BAL:GOTO 2000:END ------------------e-n-d---o-f---s-i-l-l-y---p-r-o-g-r-a-m-s-------------------
------------------------------
Date: 5 Oct 87 14:05:21 GMT From: cbosgd!cblpf!cblpe!@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Rob Stampfli) Subject: Dhrystone figures for the Atari 800xl To: info-ata@score.stanford.edu
x I
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Critcism or Embarassment,ATARI corp?
1.
DFLINT02
More options
Oct 2 1987, 5:23 am
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
From: DFLIN@ULKYVX.BITNET -
Date: Thu, 1-Oct-87 16:23:00 EDT
Subject: Critcism or Embarassment,ATARI corp?
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Tramiel and many members of his staff have considered the 8-bit machine, enhanced, as a competitor for the ST. Also the Game machine image of the ATARI 8-bits machines does not seem to warrant any type of upgrade. I have stated that i would support any upgrades that ATARI would develope for the 8-bit. Besides a little criticism never hurts. Tramiel does not take the 8-bit to seriously. JWT and Landon Dyer are the most helpful people atari has on this net.
Answer this question why did a ATARI try to block the release of the PD 8-bit emulator for the ST????? Don't quote Propietary OS.
Mike Buford (Novice Hardware Hacker!) (An ACTION Programmer!) Dflint02@ulkyvx or Cl150@ulkyvm.bitnet
2.
Neil Harris
More options
Oct 6 1987, 2:50 am
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
From: n@atari.UUCP (Neil Harris) -
Date: Mon, 5-Oct-87 13:50:24 EDT
Local: Tues, Oct 6 1987 2:50 am
Subject: Re: Critcism or Embarassment,ATARI corp?
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In article <8710012029.AA22@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, DFLIN@ULKYVX.BITNET writes: > Answer this question why did a ATARI try to block the release > of the PD 8-bit emulator for the ST????? Don't quote Propietary OS.
The answer is easy. We didn't. Contrary to popular rumor/reports, Darek's biggest problem when getting ready to release the emulator was getting through to the right person here. He ended up with myself and Richard Frick. We took the story to Sam Tramiel, President of Atari Corp. The three of us agreed that we had no problem allowing the release of the emulator, but in return for this we wanted Darek to release his source code as public domain. The emulator as it currently exists is too slow to be useful, not to mention the lack of support for important features like player/missile graphics.
At any rate, Darek was reluctant to do this at first. He seemed to want sole credit for the emulator. The impasse was resolved on GEnie, in a series of messages between Darek and myself with audience participation. Then Darek asked for permission to sell an article on the emulator to an ST magazine so he could make a little money for the project. This was granted. The emulator was recently published in ST-Log magazine (September issue) and is available for download on GEnie and other places.
These days, Darek is getting along with Atari a little better. I think he's not a bad negotiator -- he was stirring up public sympathy for himself in order to get what he wanted from us. On the other hand, we got the source code released, so we're happy too. Let's hope that the project ends up resulting in an emulator that does what we all want it to do.
-- --->Neil Harris, Director of Marketing Communications, Atari Corporation UUCP: ...{hoptoad, lll-lcc, pyramid, imagen, sun}!atari!neil GEnie: NHARRIS/ WELL: neil / BIX: neilharris / Delphi: NEILHARRIS CIS: 70007,1135 / Atari BBS 408-745-5308 / Usually the OFFICIAL Atari opinion
3.
Hans Breitenlohner
More options
Oct 9 1987, 5:29 am
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
From: h@umd5.umd.edu (Hans Breitenlohner) -
Date: Thu, 8-Oct-87 16:29:52 EDT
Local: Fri, Oct 9 1987 5:29 am
Subject: Re: Critcism or Embarassment,ATARI corp?
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In article <8@atari.UUCP> n@atari.UUCP (Neil Harris) writes: > ... >We took the story to Sam Tramiel, President of Atari Corp. The three of us >agreed that we had no problem allowing the release of the emulator, but in >return for this we wanted Darek to release his source code as public domain. > ...
What a noble thought. I think the idea of releasing source code is great.
Did this idea come from the same company which has steadfastly refused to release (or even to acknowledge requests for) the source for the XL operating system? How much better a world this would be if the left hand and the right hand could agree on the goodness value of things.
Note that I am not suggesting that the OS source be put in the public domain, only that source should be available. Of course I can disassemble the ROMs (and have done so), and most of what I want to know can be extracted that way. It just hurts to think of the more productive things I could have with that time!
New Atari Hardware News
1.
Terry Conklin
More options
Oct 2 1987, 6:22 pm
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
From: conk@eecae.UUCP (Terry Conklin) -
Date: Fri, 2-Oct-87 05:22:04 EDT
Local: Fri, Oct 2 1987 6:22 pm
Subject: New Atari Hardware News
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The following is a collection of hardware announcements that I have collected as a function of being the Admin for the Club Network. I always try and keep the Club's 8-bit people abreat of the latest news, so, while commercial in nature, this isn't meant as an ad proper as much as a list of new hardware and software that I have found for the 8-bit.
From Terrific Corp. I have received the following information about this home control system: "The X-10 POWERMANAGER SYSTEM
Now you can finally use your Atari Home Computer to conveniently create, store and recall programs that can be loaded into the X-10 PowerHouse controller to control lights, appliances and other devices hooked up to X-10 control modules throughout your home.
There are two X-10 interface kits available from Terrific Corp. One kit includes an X--10 PowerHouse Computer interface, a special Atari interface adaptor and the Powermanager software. For those who already have the PowerHouse computer interface, the software and adaptor are available seperately.
The Powermanager software takes full advantage of the PowerHous interface. Features include:
-Up to 256 modules can be individually controlled. Modules can be grouped together to allow control of an 'infinite' number of devices. -Lights and appliances can be programmed to turn on or off at specified times through the use of a timer event schedule. In addition, lights can be programmed to dim to 16 intenstities. -Timer event schedules can hold up to 128 events, a single event can control up to 16 modules. -Timer event schedules can be created, stored and edited on disk. -Modules can be controlled instantly from the Atari. -Software allows use of joystick or keyboard -48K required, machine language, drive.
Terrific Corp. 17 St Mary's Court Brooklin, MA 02146 (617) 232-2317"
You all know these things. The dreaded BSR controller returns. Actually, these really ARE cool. I have a friend with equivalent software on his TRS Coco. It's all very impressive and neat. The only problem is that control modules get expensive as you wire up a whole house. He bought out an RS inventory at $3 a module or so. The only way to do it.
More exciting Atari 8bit hardware came recently from the yet scarier IRATA VERLAG corp. Their offerings included:
512K card for the 800XL....$170 512K special chip for use with above card............$52 Card and Chip together.....$200 6 OS System Box : Basically the equivalent of the RAM-ROD XL. This allows you to have 6 diffeent OS chips and then to select amongst them with a switch. ...........................$50 HIGH CHIP: for people who have the Happy drive enhancement. This chip has a hidden menu. Hold don select while you press RESET and you get a menu with the options for COLD START, SECTOR COPY, or TURN HAPPY ON/OFF. "Saves times." ...........................$50 XE CHIP WITH RAMDISK.......$75 (doesn't say anything else!) OLD SYS CHIP: Replacement OS chip for XL/XE's for 400/800 compatibility ...........................$??? ------------------------------- All chips that have something to do with the Happy have a special feature. For people who know machine language, the happy can load any protected disk into the happy memory, then turn around and write the binary data back onto a normal formatted diskette. This allows you to then take a sector editor to look at the actual bit stream from the original disk to learn how it is set up. --------------------------------- Some new 8bit software: 100 New Print Shop pictures....$7 The Editor.....................$15 The Super Label II.............$15 --------------------------------- THE XL/XE SUPER TURBO INTERFACE: This is a disk interface for the Atari 8bit that allows you to do many different things. They are: -Use IBM 5.25" and ST 3.5" disk drives for fast seek and large storage capacities -Back up ANY protected 8bit software -Transfer between any of the three (Atari, IBM, 3. 5") formats. -Backs up all protected ST & IBM software too!? -Has built in 8bit pritnter interface -For people with Happy drives, the SUPER TURBO works with the Happy and kicks the baud rate to an awesome....... (drum roll) * 150,000 * baud. It loads programs in 7 seconds and does whole disk copies in 27 seconds. (THIS, I gotta see.)
I am NOT affiliated with these people in any way. In fact, I have absolutely no idea where they are or came from. I just get a lot of release info in the process of searching out what's new for Club Net 8bit owners and thought it might interest some of the netters. The english on the IRATA ad left something to be desired, so be sure and give these guys the third degree when you call to make sure it is ligit. Forgot to list their address/phone number. It's
IRATA VERLAG 1272B POTTER DRIVE COLO SPRINGS, CO 80909 (303) 596-0135
I also talked to ICD today and they claimed that the SPARTADOS-X cart would be available for Xmas.
Such is excitement. No news from the we fine brave souls in the Turbo-project. We just got the 65802. Hope!
Terry Conklin ihnp4!msudoc!conklin Club Lansing (517) 372-3131 (gets all this junk first.) Club II (313) 334-8877 (next day or so) Club III (714) xxx-xxxx (at this rate, we may never know) So this is what happens when BBS's go Imperialist. It becomes some sort of public entity. Swell. Does that mean I have to housebreak it?
Standalone OmniCom
1.
jhs
More options
Oct 3 1987, 6:55 am
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
From: j@MITRE-BEDFORD.ARPA.UUCP -
Date: Fri, 2-Oct-87 17:55:16 EDT
Local: Sat, Oct 3 1987 6:55 am
Subject: Standalone OmniCom
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A couple of weeks ago, I posted a new "shareware" version of CDY's OmniCom to the net. Unlike the original OmniCom, this version does not require the installation of the OMNIVIEW chip. I have the feeling it made it out to BITNET but not to the ARPA side. Did anybody on the ARPAnet receive it? If not, is anyone interested? I can either e-mail it or (if there is enough demand) post it again.
OmniCom is a vt100 emulator with 80-column display and support for kermit, xmodem, and plain ASCII data capture and send from file. Also, it has a handy "Print Screen" function for printing short messages. I have found it highly satisfactory for use with my VAX screen editor, and have not even needed to install a special termcap file -- it acts just like a real vt100 in almost all respects.
-John Sangster / j@mitre-bedford.arpa
Need modem help
1.
ekijak
More options
Oct 3 1987, 8:04 am
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
From: eki@ARDEC.ARPA.UUCP -
Date: Fri, 2-Oct-87 19:04:27 EDT
Local: Sat, Oct 3 1987 8:04 am
Subject: Re: Need modem help
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GVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGV From: "Edmund S. Kijak" (IMD-IPAO) <eki@ARDEC.ARPA> To: decvax!cg-d!gil@UCBVAX.Berkeley.EDU cc: info-ata@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU Subject: Re: Need modem help Return-Path: <@Score.Stanford.EDU:eki@ARDEC.ARPA> Redistributed: XeroxAtari8Users^.X Received: from Score.Stanford.EDU by Xerox.COM ; 04 FEB 87 07:18:38 PST Received: from ARDEC-3.ARPA by SCORE.STANFORD.EDU with TCP; Wed 4 Feb 87 06:28:48-PST Original-Date: Wed, 4 Feb 87 9:28:56 EST Message-ID: <8702040928.aa14293@ARDEC-3.ARDEC.ARPA> GVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGV
I don't know how to do it, but you ought to be able to use any modem with your 8 bit machine. I found out by accident that the 8-bit operating system which is built into the machine (i.e., it's there even if you don't have a disk drive)includes software for inputting and outputting data on the serial port. It follows the standard custom of sending the bytes out one bit at a time on a single pin. Incoming data is received on another pin of the serial port. Each byte is preceded by a start bit, and is followed by a stop bit, and the data bits are ordered least-significant-bit first, six more bits, most-significant bit last. This is standard asynchronous serial transmission with 8 data bits, one start bit, one stop bit, no parity. The baud rate is settable by pokeing the appropriate memory locations, and setting up the serial port for asynchronous I/O is also done by pokeing appropriate codes into the right addresses. Sorry, I don't have the addresses or the values that must go into them. These can be found in the hardware manual, or other published literature.You may have to write your own software to configure the port and input and output the data, unless your already have some program that interfaces with a modem or does terminal emulation. On the hardware side, the voltage levels used by the serial port are not compatible with what a modem expects to see. The serial port operates at TTL levels: logic 0 = zero volts, logic 1 = 5 volts. The modem expects RS-232 levels: logic 0 = +3 to +24 (I think) volts, logic 1 = -3 to -24 volts. You must provide the hardware to do the voltage level translation. The easiest way to do this is to use a chip such as the Maxim MAX232 which requires only 5 volts and can be powered by the 5 v pin in the serial port itself. This chip generates its own +9 and -9 volts for the RS232 levels and translates incoming RS232 levels to TTL levels. Only a few external components need to be connected to the chip (a few small capacitors and resistors) and the circuit is very simple (see MAX232 data sheet). I'm amazed at the number of features that were included in the original 8-bit machines that were not advertised or brought to the attention of purchasers. Included at no additional expense were horizontal and vertical smooth and coarse scrolling, animation by page flipping, custom display lists, sprites, joystick ports that can be used for output as well as input, paddle ports that can accept photocell and resistance thermometer inputs, tone generation for dialing touch tone phones, asynchronous serial port for communicating with modems or other (multivendor) computers. And all this stuff was accessible through BASIC, worked with only 16kbits of memory, and didn't require a disk drive or expansion box.