@database "ar309.guide"
@Node MAIN "Amiga Report Online Magazine #3.09 -- May 2, 1995"

                               @{" Turn the Page " link MENU}

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                 "THE Online Source for Amiga Information!"

                      Copyright 1995 FS Publications
                            All Rights Reserved

                                      //
=====================================//====================================
== May 2, 1995                    \\//                    Issue No. 3.09 ==
===========================================================================

@endnode
@node MENU "Amiga Report Main Menu"
@toc MAIN

===========================================================================
==                               Main Menu                               ==
===========================================================================

    @{"  Editorial and Opinion   " link OPINION}             @{"    Featured Articles    " link FEATURE}

    @{"         Reviews          " link  REVIEW}             @{"  News & Press Releases  " link NEWS}

    @{"    FTP Announcements     " link     FTP}             @{"       Reader Mail       " link MAIL}

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

    @{"    About AMIGA REPORT    " link ABOUT}             @{"    Dealer Directory     " link DEALER}
 Contact Information and Copyrights     Amiga Dealer Addresses and Numbers

    @{"     Where to Get AR      " link WHERE}             @{"     Advertisements      " link COMMERCIAL}
 Mailing List &  Distribution Sites     Online Services, Dealers, Ordering
               ______________________________________________
         //   |                                              |       //
========//====|  Amiga Report International Online Magazine  |======//=====
==   \\//     |  Issue No. 3.09                 May 2, 1995  |   \\//    ==
==============|  "THE Online Source for Amiga Information!"  |=============
              |______________________________________________|
@endnode

===========================================================================
==                        The Amiga Report Staff                         ==
===========================================================================

@node JASON "Editor"
@toc STAFF

===========================================================================
==                                EDITOR                                 ==
===========================================================================

                               Jason Compton
                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
             Internet                                  Address
             --------                                  -------
     jcompton@shell.portal.com                 1838 Chicago Ave. #419
     jcompton@xnet.com                         Evanston, IL 60201-3806
                                               USA

               Fax                                      Phone
               ---                                      -----
           708/491-4064                             708/332-4599

@endnode
@node ROBERT "Senior Editor"
@toc STAFF

===========================================================================
==                             SENIOR EDITOR                             ==
===========================================================================

                               Robert Niles
                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~
            Internet                                   Address
            --------                                   -------
        rniles@Wolfe.NET                           506 W. Orchard
                                                   Selah, WA 98942

            FidoNet                                      Fax
            -------                                      ---
           1:3407/103                                509/697-5064

@endnode
@node KATIE "Assistant Editor"
@toc STAFF

===========================================================================
==                           ASSISTANT EDITOR                            ==
===========================================================================

                             Katherine Nelson
                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                 Internet
                                 --------
                            Kati@cup.portal.com

@endnode
@node SEAN "Games Editor"
@toc STAFF

===========================================================================
==                             GAMES EDITOR                              ==
===========================================================================

                               Sean Caszatt
                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                 Internet
                                 --------
                  Sean.Caszatt@f512.n2601.z1.fidonet.org

@endnode
@node EDITORIAL "compt.sys.editor.desk"
@toc OPINION

===========================================================================
==  compt.sys.editor.desk                          By: @{" Jason Compton " link JASON}  ==
===========================================================================

Well, ok, I guess I was a BIT rough on Escom.

Since the Auction issue, Escom has dropped a few press releases on the
world, stating their intent to keep making 1200/4000/600s and continue the
development of the Amiga.  We haven't seen anything concrete, but that's
to be expected.

As far as news goes: as of this writing, I cannot confirm that the Bahamas
Supreme Court has acted on the Commodore deal.  I spoke with someone who
claims to have contacted Letitia Hansen (my lawyer contact) who informed
him that the Supreme Court had indeed accepted the deal.

IF that's the case, that means that all is left is for Escom to close the
deal by paying in full, which they would have 20 working days from
acceptance to do.

In the meantime, the fallout from Alex Amor and David Pleasance/Colin
Proudfoot can be read later in the magazine, along with the few releases
we've been able to get from Escom.

As far as contacting Escom goes: so far, there is no "official" place to
contact Escom about Commodore.  You can find some Escom numbers in the
transcript of the post-auction conference, and it certainly wouldn't hurt
to call them and show that we care, but it may not get you far.  Reports
indicate that there are some secretaries getting flustered with Amiga
questions they can't answer...

I'm trying to get a solid contact in the Escom organization.  You'll know
when I do, I'll have a lot more to say. :)

Speaking of a lot to say...my apologies to Cloanto, Thomas Dorn, and Todd
Sprague, whose products (PPaint 6.1, XiPaint 3.1, and QuickText,
respectively) should have been reviewed for this issue.  But I have been
EXTREMELY busy with post-auction business...

At any rate, enjoy.  See you in a couple of weeks...

Jason

P.S.  Late-breaking news...

#1.  Conference with Chris Hames and Justin Deeley of Quasar Distribution
(publisher of PC-Task 3 and DirWork 2) on IRC-
Sunday, May 28, 1995 at 10:30 PM CET/4:30 PM Eastern US time
(Monday, May 29, 1995 at 7:30 AM for those in the Melbourne area)

#2.  Walnut Creek (ftp.cdrom.com) no longer carries Aminet.

@endnode
@node COMMERCIAL "Commercial Products"
@toc MENU

===========================================================================
==                          Commercial Products                          ==
===========================================================================

We want your used CD32!  We will pay $180 plus $15 shipping & COD
charges ($195 total U.S. funds) for working, NTSC (sorry no PAL)
CD32 consoles. Please contact us for authorization and shipping
instructions.  Sound Concepts, Inc. / MagicBox  (503) 752-5542.
Offer limited.  Call for details.
                            --- --- --- --- ---

@{"       Editor's Choice      " link EDITORCHOICE} Jason's picks

@{" Commercial Online Services " link ONLINE} Sign-Up Information

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   @{"  Opinion  " link OPINION}  @{"  News  " link NEWS}  @{"  Articles  " link FEATURE}  @{"  Reviews  " link REVIEW}  @{"  Announce  " link FTP}

@endnode
@node MAIL "Reader Mail"
@toc MENU

===========================================================================
==                             Reader Mail                               ==
===========================================================================

From: ejszul@omega.wwa.com (Eric Szulczewski)
Subject: AR308 Response Letter - CLEARED FOR PUBLICATION

Jason,

I've only become a recent fan of your magazine, and I think that it's
fantastic.  As a person who had to operate a floor scrubber and buffer a
number of times while in the military, keep up the harassment.

Your review in AR308 of WB3.1 was fascinating.  This 2000 owner went to 3.1
a few months ago, and I'll never go back.  I've only experienced one
problem with it: IPrefs doesn't want to seem to load my desired beep sound.
However, ARQ not working with 3.1?  Not on this end; it's worked perfectly
for me.  I'm sure that as a longtime Amiga owner, you're running RTPatch or
StartRC or something similar to patch ReqTools to all requesters.  That may
be where the problem lies.  Some people forget to lower the StartPri of ARQ
to that of below the ReqTools patch.  Since I can't live without a ReqTools
patch, ARQ, and AssignX, I've got to remember to load them in the correct
order in WBStartup.  If other people are having those problems (and this
applies to all versions of the OS), just edit the icon tooltypes to
STARTPRI=0 for the ReqTools patch, STARTPRI=-1 for ARQ, and STARTPRI=-2 for
AssignX.  It should work now.

And, BTW, I do miss NickPrefs as well for the animated icons.  Wonder if
Nicola is working on a 3.0+ version for ECS machines for that?

With the demise of AmigaWorld, Amiga Report has become more and more
important.  Wishing everyone luck, and waiting for the 20th...

Eric J. Szulczewski
ejszul@omega.wwa.com

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

From: jleslie@microbus.demon.co.uk (John Leslie)
Subject: AR Reader Mail: "UK Amiga magazines"

I think the U.K.  probably has more magazines published than any other
country on the planet.  Certainly whenever I'm abroad the choice always
seems to be a tiny fraction of what's available here.  While some are
discussing the demise of various Amiga magazines around the world the U.K.
market still looks pretty full.  In fact, even a year after CI's little
accident there seems to be more titles than ever.  So as a small
contribution to the AR cause here is my survey of U.K.  Amiga magazines:
        Amiga Action, 13pa, 3.99 UKP
        Amiga CD Gamer, 9pa, 4.99
        Amiga CD32, alternate months, 4.95
        Amiga Computing, 13pa, 3.99
        Amiga Format, monthly, 3.95
        Amiga Format special, alternate months, 4.95
        Amiga Power, monthly, 3.95
        Amiga Pro, monthly, 2.95
        Amiga Shopper, monthly, 2.50
        Amiga User International, monthly, 3.75
        Commodore Format, monthly, 2.95
        CU Amiga, monthly, 3.95
        The One Amiga, monthly, 3.95
Not a bad selection...
====
John Leslie, jleslie@microbus.demon.co.uk

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

From: jleslie@microbus.demon.co.uk (John Leslie)
Subject: AR Reader Mail: "Another 0.001c value"

Since everyone seems to be having their 0.02c worth on the Amiga's future I
though I'd have a go (okay, 0.1p over here).

Hardware: there seems to be a lot of confusion here, but I think Dave
Haynie's views looked the most believable, i.e.  CI weren't ever doing a
RISC Amiga but were looking to do a custom version of PA RISC for a new
games machine.  This would suggest a RISC Amiga is a seriously long way
away, even if the new owners decide to stump up the not inconsiderable
amount of loot required.

Surely if AAA is close to done, and the spec.  looks fine to me, that's got
to be the way to go.  Anyway a 68EC040 is a reasonably powerful CPU and at
$60 a pop it'll keep most people happy.  There's also the MCF5102, which
runs at 16MHz, executes the whole EC040 instruction set and is only $20.
(It has a multiplexed bus, rather than the standard one, but could make a
nice CD32 follow on.)

On the RISC front, like Tim Cameron I too use a HP 735-125 at work (er, I
design computers for my sins), and I'll agree it is spectacularly fast,
although whether HP would cut Amiga Inc (or whoever) the same deal for a
full-blown computer must be open to question.  PowerPC is okay as a CPU,
but there seem to be a couple of problems: Apple and IBM.  Do you make the
computer CHIRP compatible, so it runs Apple's o/s and AIX and NT, but have
to sell against them on price, or avoid compatibility and the chance to
multi-boot NT/AIX/System 7/AmigaDOS?  (Why are Apple/IBM a problem?
Because IBM gets the chips at cost and if you look at the prices of the
PowerPC chips and what Apple is selling its computers for it's obvious they
cut themselves a very serious price deal for coming on-board.) There's
always Alpha, very fast and the 21066A (233MHz) has the PCI interface,
cache controller and DRAM controller built-in.  They are all nice chips,
but it will take so long to do and so much money it may not happen (firms
will continue to employ accountants, despite all the evidence showing how
harmful this is).

Personally I'd prefer to shout for AAA (I'll buy one, 040 or 060, 100MIPS,
24bpp and 16bit sound will do me for now...)

If you really want to do new hardware - how about a PCI bus (64-bit?)
graphics and sound card?  You could then use the hardware of your choice,
which much lower initial investment, and make a few extra bob by writing
drivers for other o/s and selling their users the card too (plus if you do
a new o/s in C you could port it around all you like, endian-ness
allowing).

Software: I like AmigaDOS more than any other o/s, so sue me...  of course
I'd like it more if new versions were more sensibly priced and didn't break
so many older programs, but that's news to nobody.

I was interested to see the announcement of a clone AmigaDOS project -
these are brave people as writing an operating system takes a lot of work
and needs to be very solid to get much use.  One possibility they might
like to consider...  Linux runs on cheap and powerful hardware with
re-targetable everything (PCs) but suffers from the fact that although the
o/s is on GNU the window manager is chargeable and not cheap.  Perhaps an
opportunity for someone to come up with a free window manager and widget
set - there's a lot of potential customers out there, and there is already
a very solid windowing system and set of development tools available.  It
also supports shared libraries.  All it needs for perfection (-ish) is a
nice intuition-like window manager and widget set, some handy shared
libraries (XPR..., XPK..., etc) and REXX.  Worth a thought?  (Bearing in
mind that most Amiga graphics cards use mid-range PC graphics chips on a
slow-ish bus you might even get draggable screens with fast PC hardware,
simply by doing blits.  (The top-end PC chips on PCI are around 5-8x as
fast as the chips used on Amiga boards (e.g.  64 and 128-bit VRAM
accelerators vs the 32 and 64 bit DRAM chips.))

What do other people think?  Personally Im crossing my fingers for AAA,
ideally for my 1995 Christmas present from me...

====
John Leslie, jleslie@microbus.demon.co.uk
@endnode
@node NEWS1 "AmigaOS Project Information"
@toc NEWS

      HOW TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THE AMIGAOS REPLACEMENT PROJECT

Through the World Wide Web:

  http://www.telesys-innov.fr/AmigOS/AOS.html

or send an empty e-mail to:

  amigosinfo@aobh.xs4all.nl

upon which you will receive an information charter.
@endnode
@node NEWS2 "Dream State CD"
@toc NEWS

_DREAM STATE_, THE NEW CD FROM BJORN A. LYNNE (ALSO KNOWN AS DR.AWESOME/
CRUSADERS) IS OUT NOW.

##################################   All music composed, arranged,
                                ##   performed by Bjorn A. Lynne.
 1. All Life is One (1)  03:20  ##   Recorded in DENS Design Studios
 2. Time & Growth        08:24  ##   Jan.-Oct. 1994. ADD recording.
 3. Emptiness            05:24  ##   Remixed Feb'95 in Townhouse
 4. The Cycle            04:42  ##   Studios, London, UK.
 5. Mania                05:00  ##
 6. Digital Phoenix      04:19  ##   Equipment used:
 7. Mesmerized           04:27  ##   Amiga 1200 running Music-X.
 8. Dark Star            04:43  ##   AST 486DX PC running CakeWalk.
 9. Sequences            03:02  ##   Ensoniq SQ-R+
10. Progress             05:25  ##   Korg Wavestation
11. All Life is One (2)  05:10  ##   Roland S550
                                ##   Roland Juno-2
PLUS BONUS TRACK FOR MOD-LOVERS ##   Kawai K1-rII
                                ##   Roland D50
12. Now What? Medley     14:09  ##   Gravis Ultra Sound
                                ##   Art ProVerb 100
##################################   Boss BX-16

In UK, the album is available from your favourite record store *OR* from
the address below, as described.

This CD will NOT be available in any shops in any other countries than UK,
and must be ordered from the address below.  Price 160 NOK.

The first 200 CDs ordered will be individually numbered 001-200 and signed
with silver ink.

Scandinavians: Just write or call and say that you want the CD.  Do not
send any money with your order.  The CD will be sent as "pay-on- delivery"
(postoppkrav/postfrskott/efterkrav).  You pay for it when you pick it up
at the post office.

Outside Scandinavia: I can't send "pay-on-delivery" outside Scandinavia; so
you have to send the money.  Please send 40 DM, 15, or equivalent in
useable currency (no coins please); OR send a EuroCheque for 176 NOK.
These prices are *including* postage throughout Europe.  Alternatively, you
may also send an International Money Order (they have these at all post
offices throughout the world) for 176 NOK, which will cover the CD and the
postage.  Please, no other cheques than *Euro*Cheques; and if you send
EuroCheque, it must be made out in NOK (176), and payable to Bjorn A.
Lynne.

If you have any questions on how to order or anything else, I'd be glad to
help you; give me a call.

Address etc:

BJORN LYNNE                Phone (daytime): +47 67 594331
SCHLEPPEGRELLS GATE 10     Phone (evening/weekend): +47 22 352781
0556 OSLO                  Telefax: +47 67 595300
NORWAY                     PostGiro: 0824.0681472
                           Email: bjorn.lynne@disco.oslohd.no

IMPORTANT INFO!!  Last minute update: I have been given a job in Team17
Software, and I am moving to England on the 16th of April 1995.  After this
date, *you can still use the above address*, as all mail will be forwarded
to me; BUT if you're in Scandinavia, it will probably be easier/quicker to
send orders to my good friend Rune Schau, who will also arrange sale of
this CD.

His address is RUNE SCHAU / STALSBERGGT.  20 / 2010 STROMMEN / NORWAY;
Phone (+47) 63 80 08 44.

For questions etc.; I can also be reached at: Team17 Software / Longlands
House / Wakefield Rd.  / Ossett WF5 9JS / ENGLAND - and mark the envelope
"Att: BJORN LYNNE" !!

                       A Journey on the Inside
                Through the world of sound and music
                To the innermost depths of your soul
                  and to the centre of the universe

          * S E E   Y O U   O N   T H E   O T H E R   S I D E *
@endnode
@node NEWS3 "CEI Fax to Dealers"
@toc NEWS

Thu Apr 27 15:35 1995 - Creative Equipment Int.

Dear CEI Dealer:

We have been bombarded with numerous questions during the past few days. 
The following attempts to answer the majority of concerns which have been
raised.

What is Escom going to do?  CEI is not in the position to speak for Escom,
nor do we want to imply that we know what their intentions are.  We can
tell you Escom is a large German concern thay is very savy when it comes to
business.  With this said, it is a fact that there exists a demand for
Amigas.  Based on this, we would expect Escom to produce sufficent Amigas
to meet market demands.  As far as developing the technology forward, we
don't have enough information to make a reasonable determination.  In an
interview Escom representatives stated "...they plan to develop Apple
compatible machines utilizing the Commodore trademarks.  They planned on
building Amigas in China.  and bringing back the Commodore 64...".

When will machines be available again?  If the purchaser had been moving
forward with production plans, Amigas can be back in the market in 45-60
days.  If they are just started to look into production it is going to take
3 to 5 months.

What is CEI's role?  CEI is interested in licensing the Amiga technology to
develop new more powerful Amigas.  CEI will be aggressively marketing,
supporting, and distributing the Amiga and Amiga products.

What if Escom does not manufacture Amiga and is not willing to license the
technology?  CEI has been working on contingency plans.  If these plans are
put into effect, our dealer base will be immediatly notified.  Our
expectations are that Escom will bring back the Amiga.

Are you goingto abandon the Amiga because you lost?  NO, we are obvoisly
very disappointed.  We got closer than we imagined.  We beleive in the
Amiga, the technology, the dealers and the market.  We are extremely happy
that this long episode is over.  We made a commitment to support whomever
won the technology.  Now the real work must start.

Will CEI be moving to other platforms?  NO, we have made a long term
commitment to the Amiga business.  In the past we have carried products
that are multiplatform based (Fargo,DPS,Prime Image, etc).  We will
continue with this stratagy.

What can you tell us about the DELL/CEI connection?  At this time, not
much.  CEI and DELL found a lot of common ground to work together.  Even
though we were not successful with the acquisition of Commodore a lot of
joint interest areas are being exploded.  As things materialize we will
keep you up to date.

When are we going to receive terms?  As we mentioned, there are going to be
a large number of announcements within the next few weeks (we even have a
few suprises up our sleeves).  All CEI dealers will be receiving new dealer
contracts, credit applications, and P.O.S.  materials shortly.  To
participate it is important for all dealers to complete the paperwork and
submit it to us.

Does Escom own Commodore?  Technically speaking no.  It is going to take a
couple of days to transfer the assets and sign all the paperwork but in
actuality it is a done deal.

Even though there remains a lot of questions to be answered, we are happy
that this epsidode (Yes Martha, it really does say EPSIDODE!) in the long
ordeal is over.  The stage is now set to begin moving forward again.  We
are excited with the possibilities and look towards expanding our
relationship with you.
@endnode
@node NEWS4 "CrossDOS Version 6 Professional"
@toc NEWS

CONSULTRON                              For Immediate Release
8959 Ridge Rd                           February 23, 1995
Plymouth, MI  48170
(313) 459-7271 Voice/FAX

                           Product Upgrade

                   We've Improved Upon the Best ...
                 CrossDOS (TM) Version 6 Professional

Plymouth, MI, USA -- CONSULTRON has announced that it will be shipping
CrossDOS (TM) Version 6 Professional on April 3, 1995.  CrossDOS has been
enhanced to better support MS-DOS formatted floppies and hard disks.
Here's a quick list of our ``New and Improved'' features:

Faster Floppy Access
    We've  completely rewrote the floppy device driver (mfm.device) to
    speed up reads and writes approximately two times.

Faster Hard Disk Writes
    We've  optimized CrossDOS disk caching and disk access routines to
    speed up writes to MS-DOS hard disks approximately ten times.

Partition MS-DOS Hard Drives
    Using  our  QuickPrep utility, you can create a `true' MS-DOS hard
    disk partition entirely on your Amiga.  You are no longer required
    to preformat the disk on an MS-DOS computer first.

Read and Write MS-DOS Disk Images in Files
    CrossDOS  now supports Bridgeboard MakeAB and JLink files, PC-Task
    hardfiles and AtOnce/GoldenGate diskfiles.

Network Compatible
    We've improved CrossDOS to be compatible with most Amiga networks.

Improved Hard Disk Configuration and Diagnostic Utilities
    We've  made  substantial  enhancements  to many CrossDOS utilities
    including the hard disk configuration and diagnostic programs.

Full-time Technical Support
    We  still  provide  full-time  technical support for our products.
    Tech  support is available Monday through Friday between the hours
    of 10 AM and 6 PM EST.

Runs on any Amiga
    CrossDOS  will  run  on  any  Amiga with 512K or more of RAM using
    AmigaDOS 2.0 or higher.

Availability and Pricing
    CrossDOS  are  scheduled  to  be  available  April  3,  1995.  The
    suggested list price is:
        $60.00

    CrossDOS  Version  6  Professional  should  be available from most
    Amiga  software  retailers  or  directly  from CONSULTRON (include
    $5.00  S&H  for  USA and Canada or $10.00 S&H elsewhere).  (We now
    support Visa and MasterCard.)

``Same-day'' Delivery Service
    For  qualified  credit card customers, we can provide ``same-day''
    delivery on our software products.  Call for details.

CrossDOS Upgrade Policy
    CrossDOS  owner upgrades from previous versions are available from
    CONSULTRON  only.   To  qualify, you must be preregistered with us
    and  your cost is $15.00 plus shipping and handling ($5.00 S&H for
    USA and Canada or $10.00 S&H elsewhere).

High-density drives for sale:
    To  further  support  our customers, we have purchased a supply of
    Amiga  compatible  high-density  drives  in  both the internal and
    external  models.   This is the original Chinon drive designed for
    Commodore  to  support the 1.44M formatted MS-DOS disks.  Call for
    pricing.  (While supplies last).

Please  Note:  CrossPC is no longer bundled with CrossDOS and has been
discontinued.  CrossDOS is a trademark of CONSULTRON.
@endnode
@node NEWS5 "Commodore UK Situation"
@toc NEWS

[This is an article typed from Computer Retail News (UK) Dated Monday 24th
April 1995. - Jason]

                            Commodore End In Sight

Commodore UK's directors have warned they willput the company into
liquidation at the end of May unless a buyer is found for subsidiary's
stricken parent.

Davd Pleasance and Colin Proudfoot warn in accounts filed at Companies
House that the business can only survive until the end of May.  The
accounts, for the year ending 30 June 1993, were filed last month.

Independent retailers were hoping last week for a Commodore UK victory in
the New York bancruptcy court's auction of the remaining Commodore group
assets.

John Arundell, group marketing controller of Commodore UK distributer SDL,
said: "We'd like David Pleasance to get it - we beleive he's committed to
the product."
@endnode
@node NEWS6 "Escom Press Release"
@toc NEWS

[The following is Escom's German press release as translated by Johannes
Nymburg - Jason]

short translation of press release escom heppenheim:
sentences in brackets are personal addons of me (jonny)!

escom ag got all rights of commodore group transaction includes all rights
of technology, trademarks and patents of commodore and amiga

escom wants to continue the sucsessful productlines of commodore and amiga
under the same trademarks.  commodore-pc will be traded over distributors
and warehouses worldwide.

the legendary c64 will be reinwoked for the markets of eastern europe
(means china i think)

production of amiga 4000, 1200 and 600 will be restartet immediatly

in parallel escom works on the integration of amiga and the classic
pc-technology.  for endusers escom plans to release pc-slot cards, wich
will make the multimedial functions of amiga, graphics and sound, available
on normal pc.

(on 1989 there was a german firm, which realized this project.  they got
the custom chips of an a500 and soldered them on an pc-slot card, which
then was an `amiga card` like the `pc card` for amiga.  this project was
forbidden of commodore)

with special `amiga-tv-settop-boxes` escom wants to set a milestone of the
future of interactive television.

a license for production and trading of amiga based computers was given to
`tianjin family-used multimedia co.  ltd.` in china.  tianjin is one of the
biggest producers of 16-bit game mashines with 1million selled units in
1994.  the market space of `tianjin family-used multimedia co.  ltd.` in
china is 80%!

license offers to leading distributors in fareast and usa are set, to open
the commodore/amiga technology for the wold-market.

(that`s the translation of the most significant items of the german press
release.  questions and remarks to jony0000@stud.uni-sb.de)
@endnode
@node NEWS7 "Escom Press Release"
@toc NEWS

 2/4/1
DIALOG(R)File 611:Reuters
(c) 1995 Reuters Information Services. All rts. reserv.

BONN, April 24 (Reuter) - Escom AG, Europe's biggest wholesale computer
distributor, paid $10 million for the rights to Commodore and Amiga
personal computer technology and patents, industry sources told Reuters.

 Escom declined to comment on the price it paid for the package at an
auction in New York.  Commodore and Amiga were sold off in liquidation
procedures.

 Earlier Escom said the acquisition included all of the rights to Commodore
and Amiga technology, intellectual property, brand names and patents.

 It said that it would continue to market some of the most popular
Commodore and Amiga products and hoped to target markets in Eastern Europe
and Asia.

 Escom is also developing a circuit board that would make it possible to
use Amiga multimedia technology in an IBM-compatible personal computer.

 -- William Boston, Bonn Newsroom, 49 228 2609750

                    Copyright (c) Reuters America Inc.

     SPECIAL FEATURE: Finance

 2/4/2
DIALOG(R)File 611:Reuters
(c) 1995 Reuters Information Services. All rts. reserv.

2160183
 Escom <ECOGa.F> buys Commodore,  Amiga rights
PRIORITY:  bulletin
Equities News    DATE:  April 24, 1995   08:13 E.T.
WORD COUNT: 00201

BONN, April 24 (Reuter) - Escom AG, Europe's biggest wholesale computer
distributor, said it has acquired the rights to Commodore and Amiga
computer patents in an auction in New York.

 Escom said in a statement that the acquisition included all of the rights
to Commodore and Amiga technology, intellectual property, brand names and
patents.

The company said it hopes to become a leading vendor for multimedia
technology for private consumers.

 Escom plans to resume production of the Commodore C54 model, targeting
eastern Europe, as well as production and distribution of Amiga 4000, 1200
and 600.

 The company is also working on a platform that would make it possible to
integrate Amiga multimedia functions with IBM-compatible personal
computers.

 It plans to develop Amiga set-top boxes for use in interactive television.

 Escom said it also closed a licensing agreement with < Tianjin >
Family-Used Multimedia Co Ltd of China to market and produce Amiga -based
computers.

It also said it was in talks with leading distributors in the United States
and Asia about further licensing agreements for Commodore and Amiga
products.

-- William Boston, Bonn newsroom, 49-228-2609731

                    Copyright (c) Reuters America Inc.

     SPECIAL FEATURE: Finance


 2/4/3
DIALOG(R)File 611:Reuters
(c) 1995 Reuters Information Services. All rts. reserv.

2160086
 ESCOM <ECOG.F> BUYS ALL PATENT RIGHTS OF COMMODORE AND  AMIGA
PRIORITY:  flash
Equities News    DATE:  April 24, 1995   07:36 E.T.
WORD COUNT: 00010

                    Copyright (c) Reuters America Inc.
@endnode
@node NEWS8 "fMSX Amiga 0.4 Now Available"
@toc NEWS

                       NOW AVAILABLE: fMSX Amiga 0.4!

fMSX Amiga 0.4 (or simply 'fMSX') is an emulator for MSX computers.  The
current version runs on any machine with the following requirements:

CPU: 68020+ (As far as I am concerned there will never be a version for
             normal 68000)
OS: v39+ (If enough people are interested I will lower this to v36)

fMSX 0.4 is not capable of using MSX disks, I hope to add this as soon as
possible (version 0.5 or 0.6).  This means that loading and saving is
currently rather limited: only cartridge images can be loaded, and nothing
can be saved.  As a consequence, the emulation is only good for playing
games at this time.  Games can be obtained from:

    http://www.cs.umd.edu/users/fms/

under MSX/fMSX/ROMs.  There is also an archive if MegaROMs here, but these
cannot be used with fMSX Amiga.  Also available from this site: versions of
fMSX for UNIX, PowerMac, and PC.  The UNIX version is the original, and has
the most features.  The other versions are all conversions of the UNIX
version.  Compiling the UNIX version on Amiga results in a program that is
four times slower than the current version.  fMSX UNIX is developed by
Marat Fayzullin (fms@wam.umd.edu).

Games in the ROM package include classics like Loderunner, Raid on
Bungeling Bay, Zaxxon, Bosconian, Falcon, Eggerland Mystery, Grog's
revenge, Guardic, Knightlore, Knightmare, Oil's Well, Payload, QBert, Tank
Battalion, Thexder, Twinbee, and Zanac (hands up anybody who knows more
than half of these!)

PERFORMANCE: On my 68030 (25Mhz) it is just a bit slower than a real MSX. 
It is quite a bit slower than AmiMSX, but the emulation is a lot better (it
does full emulation of all flags, for instance), a lot more stable (it
almost never crashes, although there is a known problem with sound at this
time), and best of all: it's free!

Oh, and before I forget: multitasking is enabled, and it is completely
OS-friendly, *and* it uses a font-sensitive interface, so people who get
their kicks from this kind of thing can get it without troubling their
conscience...  ;-)

Finally, if you have some fastram it helps a lot, and I accidentally left a
MEMF_CHIP in v0.4 that slows things down quite a bit, for which I apologize
deeply.  For those who have seen v0.3: with that MEMF_CHIP taken out it is
just as fast as v0.3!

BUGS: This is version v0.4.  Once it is finished I'll give it a number like
v1.0, until then you can expect "omissions" and other un-features.  Right
now there is only one fatal bug (that I know off): if the soundchannels of
the Amiga are allocated when the emulation is started it hangs.  Expect
this to be gone in v0.5, until then you'll have to be careful.  Like Sierra
used to say in the good old days: "Save early, save often", and it still
applies today.

FUTURE: Things that will be added include support for reading/writing MSX
disks (that's easy, MSX uses the same format as PC!), more speed, and of
course MSX2.  The current version can already run MSX2 BASIC (albeit very
slowly), although only one MSX2 screenmode has been implemented.

                         ***** VERY IMPORTANT *****

I have a new e-mail address! If you want to contact me, write to

    H.Guijt@inter.NL.net

My old address is no longer be valid!

            ***** ALRIGHT, ONLY IF YOU WANTED TO MAIL ME *****

AVAILABILITY: fMSX is available on aminet, in "misc/emu".  Everything you
need is in the archive (no f****ng around with downloading ROMs), but it
helps a lot if you have some cartridge images.  I don't supply these; but
as stated there are several available through www.

Hans Guijt, author
@endnode
@node NEWS9 "Imagemaster R/t 1.60"
@toc NEWS

Black Belt Systems is pleased to announce Imagemaster R/t 1.60 for the
Amiga computer.  IM R/t 1.60 expands the software's already impressive
array of special effects to include enormously powerful powerful plasma
tools, other operational enhancements, expanded interface controls and
additional documentation.

Black Belt Systems continues to enhance our Imagemaster R/t product, still
the most powerful image manipulation system available for the Amiga, as
well as offer full time technical support to our customers.  More important
reasons why Imagemaster R/t is the right choice for your Amiga image
manipulation software!

We also want you to know that should you be considering adding Windows- or
Windows NT-based computers to your working environment, you should also be
aware that we offer very powerful special effect, image manipulation,
morphing and warping software at incredibly low prices for these platforms
as well as for the Amiga.  We even have versions for RISC machines such as
the Alpha, MIPs and even the PowerPC, all of which are shipping right now!


Currently, the big news is in the Amiga arena - here are some specifics
sure to grab your interest...

The plasma suite can generate flame events in still frames or over time.  A
number of useful types of flames are available, including gas flames,
candles, log and forest fires, and even the oil wick of a hurricane lamp. 
This is only the tip of the iceberg, however, as all flame parameters are
settable by the user.  For instance, independent control over the flame's
base, middle, end and tip colors allow you to tailor the burn even to rare
metals such as sodium or magnesium with no trouble.  You have control over
how much the flame distorts the background behind it, turbulence within the
flame and much, much more.

Also in the plasma suite is an extensive electrical generator which excels
at lightning and other electrical effects.  Preset or "canned" effects
include Summer Storm, Windstorm, Fibrous and Gamma Bursts.  As with the
flame capability, these are only a hint of the range of effects available.
You have direct control over color, glow, zagging, saturation, taper, width
and more.  As with the flame tools all controls may be animated over time
using ARexx, resulting in travelling bolts and strikes with an astounding
level of realism.

IM R/t 1.60 contains many other changes and improvements, including the
ability to force all screens to 4-bit, 8-bit, or AGA, something that should
help the performance of many of the weaker AGA emulations for the various
graphics boards available for the Amiga.

For more information or to place an order, call us toll-free right away at
(800) 852-6442 from anywhere within the USA or Canada.  Outside these
areas, dial (406) 367-5513.  You can also FAX us at (406) 367-2329.  Black
Belt Systems' business hours are from 9am to 5pm MST (MST is 2 hours later
than US east coast).
@endnode
@node NEWS10 "IPISA '95 Call for Papers"
@toc NEWS

                              IPISA '95

      Incontro dei Programmatori Italiani per lo Sviluppo Amiga
                            Fifth Edition

                           Call for Papers

                    November 1995 - Milano, Italy

IPISA is an annual meeting autonomously organized by a group of people
interested in computer science, programming and applications of the Amiga
line of computers.

The meeting is dedicated to the presentation and diffusion of projects,
experiences and commercial products which have been developed using Amigas.
As in the previous events, it will be possible to discuss research programs
or job contacts with people otherwise difficult to reach.

The meeting is laid out as a series of short, twenty minute, and long,
forty-five minute, talks.  During these talks the Italian or English
language must be used to communicate.  The proceedings consists of paper
documentation and software on magnetic support.

The organizers invite authors to submit proposals in the form a short and
detailed abstract, which must be received by June 1, 1995.  The submission
of papers to be published in the proceedings independently of their public
exposition is encouraged (if necessary, the space presumably occupied on
the magnetic support has to be specified).  The papers can be submitted in
English or Italian.

In case the author desires to personally exhibit his or her work, it is
necessary to specify the estimated duration of the talk.  The authors will
receive confirmation of their participation by July 1, 1995, and will have
to send the complete papers and related software for proceedings inclusion
by October 1, 1995.

Exact day, place (in Milan, Italy) and subscription directions for the
Conference will be disclosed in future press releases.

Subscription costs are aimed to cover all, and only, expenses, and will be,
all being well, less or equal to 50,000 italian lire (40 DM, 30 US$).

A detailed press release about the last edition (IPISA'94) can be found in
Amiga Report 2.30 (October 23, 1994), and a review of the conference (by
Wouter van Oortmerssen) in Amiga Report 2.34 (December 18, 1994).

Surface Mail
(preferred for papers submission)

IPISA '95
c/o Sergio Ruocco
via Di Vittorio 4
I-20019 Settimo Milanese MI

Internet: ruocco@dsi.unimi.it (Sergio Ruocco)
          vigna@dsi.unimi.it  (Sebastiano Vigna)
          attias@dsi.unimi.it (Roberto Attias)
FIDO:             2:331/301.8 (Roberto Attias)
@endnode
@node NEWS11 "LIGHT-ROM 2 Now Shipping"
@toc NEWS

LIGHT-ROM 2 IS NOW SHIPPING!!!!

   LIGHT-ROM 2 is now shipping!  All contributor copies have now been sent.
Everyone in the U.S.  should receive their copies by no later than April
25th.  Canadian & Overseas contributors should have their copies around 2
weeks later.  If you are an overseas contributor & you do not have your
copy by the end of May, PLEASE contact me.

WHAT IS NEW WITH  LIGHT-ROM 2?

   LIGHT-ROM 2 has around 350 megs of new data.  It is 100% Lightwave and
Toaster material.  There are around 3,700 Lightwave objects.  There is a
new collection of Textures, Images and Animation Maps.  As usual,
everything has a thumbnail rendering.  The thumbnail renderings are much
easier to access thanks to user suggestions!  The Thumbnails are now in
their own directories & are much easier to access.  The Showcase directory
was a very pleasant surprise this time with all the new contributions from
all over the world.

   Thanks to everyone who has made LIGHT-ROM a success.  The feedback I
have received has been extremely gratifying for me.  I always believed that
there was a need for LIGHT-ROM.  LIGHT-ROM lists for $39.95 and is already
available from Amiga Library Services and your usual mail order & dealer
outlets.  LIGHT-ROM is a multiplatform CD ROM and can be used on all
versions of Lightwave.  I have not had the opportunity to try it on any of
the other flavors of Lightwave, but everything is cross platform
compatible.

   Contrary to the May VTU review of the first LIGHT-ROM's textures by R. 
Shamms Mortier, I am the author of LIGHT-ROM.  A correction and an apology
will be printed in a future issue.  LIGHT-ROM is a registered trademark of
my company, Graphic Detail.

   Thanks again for your support!

   Michael Meshew
   Graphic Detail
   4556 South Third Street
   Louisville, Ky. 40214   USA
   (502)363-2986
   michael @iglou.com
@endnode
@node NEWS12 "Pirated ROM Chips II"
To continue to story about Total Computer Supplies and WTS Electronics (re:
the pirated ROM chip.) According to Amiga Computing Magazine, apparently
they have both been raided at the start of March by Bedfordshire Fraud
Squad in reference to their bad trading methods, the detective constable
pretty much in charge of the operation suspects the two companies are
somehow involved.  I gather TCS are still traiding - it might be worth
telling your UK readers about these companies, I gather some folk are still
waiting for Xmas orders and are only now begining to enquire.

On the phone, they obviously don't give out any clues to their current
situation, and occasionally down-right lies.  Just after the 1st of March,
during a phone call, they informed me they had a problem with their
documentation and couldn't trace orders because all their computer
equipment holding the information had just been stollen - interesting way
of describing "we've been raided by the police who currently have all our
trading records." It might help readers who have placed orders and are
still waiting for fulfillment to know the truth of the situation.

  Julie (julie@merp.demon.co.uk)
@endnode
@node FEATURE1 "Q & A"
@toc FEATURE
===========================================================================
                   Q & A : Your Questions, Your Answers
===========================================================================

Please send answers to Amiga Report, c/o @{" Jason " link JASON}.

From: ab399@virgin.usvi.net (Carl Butler)
Subject: Amosaic

April 14, 1995
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands

Dear Jason,

This is a follow-up on my letter of April 4th.  I have found and downloaded
MUI23usr.lha (thank you for your directions to the correct directory).

While cruising I found a file by Christopher Cobb called CobbWeb1.lha.  It
is an installer file for AmiTCP/Mosaic.

The script is supposed to help you install AmiTCP and Mosaic.

It requires the following archive files to be in the install- ation
directory:

PPP1_30.lha               by Holger Kruse
PPP1_30reg.lha            by Holger Kruse
AmiTCP-demo-40.lha        by NDSi
mui23usr.lha              by Stephan Stuntz
Mosaic1.2AmiTCP.lha       by Fischer, Witbrock & Meyer
Mosaic1.3betaAmiTCP.lha   by Sischer, Witbrock & Meyer
ZGIFDtype39.9.lha         by Michael Zucchi
ams.lha                   by David Junod
edplay.lha                by Ed

The PP1 and Mosaic versions he doesn't say whether you need either or both
of them.  (I found both versions of each) I have also found AmiTCP-demo-40.

Have not found ams.lha and edplay.lha.  ZGIFDtypes was also elusive.  I did
find an older version in OS30/datatypes drawer.  (V39.7)
 
I found EdPlyr21.lha by Ed and I have a message in to Mr Cobb to see if
what I have accumulated is ok.
 
It seems like each version of "How To Get Up and Running With Mosaic" has
its own crop of files needed.
 
So far I have not been able to accumulate the needed files for: 
1.    Harv Laser's March 1995 AmigaWorld article..
2.    Tim Walsh's Prime Time PD - Amiga World April 1995
3.    Christopher Cobb's CobbWeb1.lha

Each article names different groups of files.

Can anyone tell me (or we the ar readers) what direction to go?  I assume
some of the articles are dated so what is the most up to date way to go?
Has anyone had any luck wit CobbWeb?

Thanks,

Carl Butler : internet address   ab399@virgin.usvi.net

PS:  Any word on the Commodore liquidation ??

[Read Amiga Report's Buyout Issue. :) - Jason]

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

Does anyone know about connecting up new SCSI devices to the back of the
SCSI connector on the back of GVP Impact Series II A500-HD+ hard-drives?

My boyfriend has recently purchased a new NEC quad speed SCSI-2 drive (NEC
4xe) that he is using on his PC.  It is an external unit and hence has its
own power supply etc, easy to play with switches for termination, SCSI-1,
SCSI-ID, etc.  It comes with a cable that ends in a 25-way D male plug,
that it indicates plugs into standard PC SCSI cards and Macs (although I
guess its feasibly possible that different leads are shipped for units
intended for PCs or Macs.)

The lead can physically plug into the back of the GVP unit without problems
- the GVP documentation indicates that the connector is Macintosh device
compatable.

Can I just plug the thing straight in, use the switch that "degrades" it to
a SCSI-1 device, and go (I've already configured and installed relevant
drivers and me and my boyfriend configured the CD-ROM to a SCSI-ID that we
can both use.) Would this lead be the right lead?

Thanks,

  Julie (julie@merp.demon.co.uk)
@endnode
@node FEATURE2 "Original A1000 Spec Sheet"
@toc FEATURE

===========================================================================
                       THE ORIGINAL A1000 SPEC SHEET
                        Typed in by Douglas Spence
===========================================================================

I was going through an old pile of papers and found the spec sheet I picked
up before buying my original Amiga 1000.  I thought some of you might be
interested in this piece of nostalgia.  Complete text follows: (Some errors
theirs, some may be my own)

AMIGA 1000 PERSONAL COMPUTER SYSTEM

If you haven't found the right computer yet, then you've never met
Amiga(TM).  No other personal computer, even the ones that cost a lot more,
can catch Amiga feature for feature.  It's light years ahead of the rest
and that keeps you ahead of the competition.

There's never been a computer with this much power at this low price. 
Amiga's 256K RAM is just a start.  Amiga allows you to expand up to 512K
internally and 8 megabytes externally.  The power goes deeper.  In addition
to the powerful microprocessor that's the heart of the Amiga, we've added
three amazing custom chips that handle graphics, sound and routine
operations.  These custom chips free the central processor from normal
"computer housekeeping" and allow direct memory access and multi-tasking.

There's never been a computer with this kind of speed and agility.  Amiga
combines speed and power into a truly remarkable machine.  Amiga is faster
than Macintosh(R) and IBM(R) PC.  And many times more productive, because
it's multi-tasking.  Amiga can print your cover memo, search your data
base, make a bar graph, all while using a spreadsheet.  And there's
probably enough power left over to receive a phone message or stock quote
over a modem at the same time.

There's never been a computer with graphics like this.  Amiga sees the
world more like you do in over 4,000 colors.  With dimension, animation and
almost photographic realism.  You can even take an image from a video
camera or VCR, transfer it to Amiga and then add color, animation or
special effects.

There's never been a computer that sounds this good.  Amiga comes with four
channels of sound and a bass response and octave range that exceed many
stereo speakers.  And Amiga talks in a male or female voice with an
unlimited vocabulary.

There's never been a computer with this kind of versatility.  Amiga can be
expanded to run IBM PC software.  You can add almost any printer, modem, or
accessory you'd ever want.  And there's room for the ones still being
invented.  Amiga's "open architecture" allows future expandability so it's
the last computer you'll have to buy.

There's never been a computer that's easier to use.  Amiga lets you choose
to use symbols instead of complicated commands or strange codes.  Just
point the Amiga "mouse" at pictures of what you want to do.  Or use the
keyboard.  Of course, if you already speak the language, you can talk to
Amiga in BASIC, PASCAL, LOGO, C, LISP and Assembler.  Amiga is friendlier
so it gives you more choices.

There's never been a computer this useful.  Amiga will be your number
cruncher, filing system, audio-visual department, graphic designer, print
shop and faithful workhorse.  Amiga's business capabilities allow you to
change a product's shape or color, alter its composition or improve its
operation.  While at the same time produce reports and charts for
production costs, delivery dates and sales volume.

You are about to enter a new world of speed and power, a dazzling universe
of color and dimension that is unmatched by other personal computers at any
price.  Let alone the price of an Amiga.

AMIGA SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS

MEMORY
o 256K Bytes RAM standard
o User expandable to 512K Bytes RAM internally
o Externally expandable to eight megabytes continuous RAM
o 256K Bytes Writable Control Store

MAIN PROCESSOR
o MC68000
o 32 Bit internal bus
o 16 Bit data bus
o 7.16 MHz clock speed

THREE CUSTOM VLSI CHIPS:
CUSTOM GRAPHICS CHIP
o Many different resolutions - 320x200 32 colors, 320x400 32 colors,
  640x200 16 colors, 640x400 16 colors
o Color palette of 4,096 colors
o Eight, re-usable, 16-bit wide sprites
o 60/80 column colored text
o Programmable interobject priority and collision detection
o Compatible with RGB analog monitors, NTSC composite monitors and
  home televisions

CUSTOM ANIMATION CHIP
o Utilized a Bit-Blitter for high speed movement of graphical data
o Allows high speed animation
o Frees the CPU for other concurrent tasks
o Display synchronized coprocessor
o Controls 26 DMA (direct memory access) channels

CUSTOM SOUND/PERIPHERALS CHIP
o Four voices of sound output as two channels
o 9 octaves
o Complex waveforms allow high quality speech and musical instrument
  synthesis
o Uses both amplitude and frequency modulation
o I/O controls for disk data and mouse/joystick controller ports
o Allows the disk and sound to operate with minimal CPU intervention

OPERATING SYSTEM
o AmigaDOS
o Multi-tasking
o Hierarchical file system allows fast file access and hard disk
  compatibility

USER INTERFACE
o "Intuition"
o Pull down menus
o Mouse or keyboard controlled
o Color
o Up to 50 overlapping windows, each running simultaneously in real
  time
o Features the "Workbench" iconic user interface
o Also features a Command Line Interface (CLI)

PREFERENCES
o User selectable background and character colors, keystroke speed,
  mouse speed, mouse pointer editor and font size
o Peripheral parameters for printers and modems

KEYBOARD
o Detachable, full-size typewriter style
o 89 keys total
o 13 key numeric keypad
o 10 programmable function keys
o 2 special function keys
o 4 directional cursor keys
o HELP key

DISK DRIVE
o 3.5" Micro floppy disk drive
o Double sided double density
o 880K Bytes formatted storage capacity
o Maximum transfer rate of 250 kilo bits per second
o DMA controlled read and write for fast disk access

MOUSE
o Two button optomechanical
o Eliminates the need to learn commands
o Works well on any surface

AUDIO OUTPUT
o Two RCA audio output jacks
o Signal to noise ratio 70db
o Distortion less than 1%
o Frequency response 20-6,000Hz
o Impedance 300 ohms

INPUT/OUTPUT
o Analog RGB video port
o RF modulator video port for home television
o NTSC composite video port
o Two reconfigurable controller ports (supports mouse, joysticks,
  paddles, light pens and custom controllers)
o External floppy disk port
o RS232 serial port
o Reconfigurable Centronics parallel port
o Expansion port
o RAM expansion port
o Keyboard connector

BUNDLED SOFTWARE
o AmigaDOS
o Amiga BASIC
o Amiga Tutorial
o Kaleidoscope
o Voice Synthesis Library

WEIGHT
o Approximately 13 lbs.

DIMENSIONS
o 4.25" x 17.75" x 13" (H x W x D)

POWER REQUIREMENTS
o 120V, 90 Watts, 60Hz, 1A nominal

RECOMMENDED PERIPHERALS
o 1080 Amiga Monitor
o 1010 External 3.5" Disk Drive
o 1020 External 5.25" Disk Drive
o 1050 Memory Expansion Cartridge
o 1680 Modem 1200 RS*
o 1025 Amiga Transformer*
o 3406 RF Modulator
o 1300 Genlock Interface*
o 1100 AnswerMate*

COLOR
Standard Amiga Light Beige


Specifications subject to change without notice.
Amiga is a trademark of Commodore-Amiga Inc.
Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.
IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corp.

Soon to be available
@endnode
@node FEATURE3 "Commodore Auction Conference"
@toc FEATURE

===========================================================================
                       COMMODORE AUCTION CONFERENCE
            Sponsored by Amiga Report and Amiga Link Magazines
===========================================================================

<jcompton> Welcome to the First and (I hope) Last Commodore Auction
Conference, sponsored by Amiga Report and Amiga Link Magazines-"It's news,
and it's cheap.  What more do you want?"

<jcompton> The ground rules:

<jcompton> We'll be explaining, in as much detail as is possible, what
happened over the past two days of the Commodore auction proceedings.

<jcompton> Then our esteemed op-panel of developers will be free to offer
any questions or comments they see fit (careful, boys).

<jcompton> After that, we'll go to the floor for questions.  This is a
very complicated affair...if you weren't aware Commodore was in
liquidation, you'll probably not catch up tonight.

<jcompton> The Auction issue of Amiga Report Magazine should be making its
rounds now.../msg your neighbor for a DCC if you don't have it yet. 
(note-don't /msg me...)

<jcompton> With that said...if there are no objections from the ops, I'll
delve into a mini-summary of what's happened...

<jcompton> No?  Ok, here goes.

<jcompton> The Short Version: Escom AG, the #2 German PC clone
manufacturer, has successfully entered a bid for Commodore's assets,
including (but certainly not limited to) the Amiga technology.

<jcompton> The slightly more explained version: Yesterday (Thursday) was
the auction for Commodore.  What we had been lead to expect was a heated
bidding battle between CEI's Alex Amor and C= UK's David Pleasance...after
all, they'd been the most vocal in their

<jcompton> pursuit for the Amiga.

<jcompton> As it turns out, neither of them bid.  Instead, the only three
bids came from Escom, Dell (a large US PC clone maker) and a California
dealer.

<jcompton> The Dell and dealer bids were thrown out.  Escom's $5 million
contract, signed in March, was accepted by the liquidator.

<jcompton> Almost immediately after the auction, the C= UK heads issued a
press release withdrawing from the running.

<jcompton> The next day (Friday), at the court hearing, the objections to
the process were heard.

<jcompton> From what I've gathered from the attendees (Josh Galun and
Giorgio Gomelsky), the three pre-filed objections from C= US' creditors,
IBM, and the C= Netherlands/Philippines/UK trustees were done with without
a ton of effort.

<jcompton> However, it seems that the C= Netherlands people were
temporarily successful in removing the Philippines inventory of parts and
Commodore UK from the buyout package.

<jcompton> The other objection came from Dell, who, in conjunction with
Alex Amor, entered a new $15 million bid.

<jcompton> This did not please Escom.  A recess was called.  At the end of
the recess, Escom had doubled their bid, that bid was accepted, and so
ends the process.

<jcompton> The Bahamas Supreme Court still has to approve the deal next
week, but by their own agreement, it should be nothing more than a
rubber-stamp process.

<jcompton> In addition, Escom could always fail to close the deal, in
which case the second-highest bidder, Dell, would be offered the package.
Dell has asked for a 30 day "trial" period on the Amiga, which was part of
the unacceptable (to the liquidators) condition <jcompton> of their bid.

<jcompton> However, as of now, Escom is the heir to the Commodore suite. 
What they choose to do with this is at present unclear.

<jcompton> They have promised everything from more Amigas to Commodore 64s
for China and "Commodore" Macintosh clones.

<jcompton> That about covers what I've got on my mind now.  Josh?
Anything to add?

<Zool> Yes, I do Jason.  Thanks a lot for a nice summary

<Zool> OK.  Just to expand on what Jason said about the bidding...

<Zool> Yesterday, Dell/CEI entered a bid, however it was rejected in favor
of Escom's bid.  After this, Dell kept working with on their deal

<Zool> Dell submitted the bid, which was higher, but also required a 30
day waiting period.  Anyway, as you now know, Escom raised their bid by
6.5 million dollars, and that cleared up all the obhections

<Zool> Anyway, I did an interview with the man who will be heading the
Amiga devision at Escom, and this is what he had to say

<Zool> (I can't remember his name) He said that Escom wants to improve on
the Amiga technology.  Tight now, they are interested in making a Power PC
Amiga, although that is not a decision written in stone

<Zool> He said that they have an agreement with a Chinese manufacturer,
who will be shipping new Amigas in 2 months

<Zool> They said that they also want to use the Amiga technology for other
products, such as set top boxes for TV

<Zool> When I asked them about liscencing Amiga clones, they said that
anything was a possibility at this point, and that we may see Amiga clones

<Zool> Escom sounded very open on their policy on the Amiga, as much of
what I questioned them on was replied to with "yes, that may be possible.
We'll look into it"

<Zool> Later in the day I talked to Colin Proudfoot of C= UK.

<Zool> Colin Proudfoot said that in Escom is meeting with C= UK in two
weeks, and that Escom will most likely buy C= UK at that point.  Colin
said that Escom may have wanted the Amiga to use it to go into the US
Computer market

<Zool> He said that Escom doesn't want to start up an American operation
with only PCs, since you can already get PCs very cheaply in the US.  On
the other hand, if they came into the computer market with new
technoilogy, that would seperate them from the crowd

<Zool> Escom, by the way, said that they would try to hire as many ex-C=
techs as possible, and that they already have some on their staff.  They
did say, however, that some ex-C= techs already had new jobs that they
were happy with

<Zool> Anyway, in the end, my interview with Escom left me pretty
satisfied with their plans.

<Zool> Although I think that CEI/DELL would have been better for the
Amiga, Escom could still be very good, especially with the business savvy
and 2 billion dollars in sales they had last year

<Zool> Alex Amor, when he lost the bid, sat stoically, and left soon after
the announcement.  He made no comment on what had happened

<Zool> Jason, I give the floor back to you.

<Devophile> Zool: I am sure I speak for everyone when I thank you for this
information.

<Zool> Devophile: it was my pleasure.

<jcompton> For those of you who worry about transcripts, a raw version
will be available soon after the conference.  After that, if you want an
edited version, wait for the appearance on Aminet or for AR 3.09 or Amiga
Link #3.

<Zool> I would also like to say that the text version of my interviews
with Escom and C= UK should be on Aminet soon.

<jcompton> I've had time to read over Josh and Giorgio's interview with
Escom.  Obviously, he was with the guy, so I'm one level removed.

<jcompton> Still, I am not exactly convinced that Escom's interests lie
with the Amiga.  From a strictly financial point of view, Escom is poised
to launch their PCs in the UK (now that they have obtained the Commodore
name AND the large chain of Rumbelowes stores)

<Zool> About the Phillipine plant, although Escom does not have it yet,
apparently they should have it very soon.

<jcompton> ...they have spoken of Mac clones, and of course C-64s in
China.  With markets like that, it seems that the Amiga could easily fall
by the wayside...thinking that the Amiga is an inroad to the US is
ludicrous-Escom hasn't checked the Amiga's public image in the US lately.

<KermitW> I don't think that's the point.

<Devophile> jcompton: The plans for the US market seem to be right on the
nose, as far as the US is concerned.  New technology can be welcomed or
outcast, depending on how it is brought forward.

<Zool> Escom believes that the Amiga can make money, which is why they're
in this, and not because they have any fondness for the amiga.  However,
they will pour money into Amiga R&D, and they think that the Amiga can
make money for them

<Devophile> jcompton: Let us hope Escom knows what they are doing.

<AK> Does Escom have the capital and willing to use it to launch a
marketing plan in the US.

<Zool> AK: they have the capital

<Zool> AK: I believe that they will market it in the US, because according
to C= UK, they want to make inroads into the US market

<jcompton> So, of course, the logical course of action is to make sure
they DON'T forget.  They have repeatedly avoided contact with the Amiga
community and lied to journalists.  I'm not accusing them of doing it in
this case, but my point is that there are no assurances.  I currently have
no contact information for Escom...Josh?

<Fastlane> jcompton: what ever happened to the 'rumor' that Escom had a
side-deal with CEI with regards to the technology and the trademarks?

<jcompton> Fastlane: Considering that Escom told Alex that their
relationship depended on his performance at the auction, and that he
tossed in his hat with Dell...well, CEI isn't ruling anything out, but I'm
not holding my breath.

<Devophile> Fastlane: The smart thing for Escom to do would be a joint
deal with CEI, as CEI knows the US market and has the distribution
channels.  Plus, a strong goal to get the Amiga back on top.

<Zool> Fastlane: It is conceivable that Escom might liscence Amiga clones
to CEI

<Fastlane> Devophile: agreed.  Escom only seems to want it all for the
name anyway.

<Zool> Fastlane: As I said, Escom seems excited about the Amiga.  The man
from Escom said "We wouldn't have spent all this time and 12 million
dollars if we didn't want the Amiga"

<jcompton> Kermit: You were going to say something?

<KermitW> Only that the Amiga lends a uniqueness to a company looking to
startup in the US market that they would lack with yet-another-pc-clone. 
It might not be the top of their market or even a large part of it, but it
could be the thing that could keep them in the press and, face it, the
Amiga's still pretty good at getting used in TV and film venues for
publicity.  CBM never truly made use of this, but a smart company could.

<AK> When will Escom make a official press release?

<Zool> AK: Probably tommorow, to AP

<jcompton> AK: "When they're damn good and ready", I would expect.

<Zool> And Escom wouldn't pour money into R&D for the Amiga if they didn't
want to continute with the Amiga brand

<jcompton> Zool: Until we see some serious commitment from Escom, and some
serious former employees-not C= Germany exec and sales staff, Commodore
engineering.

<jcompton> Zool: Until then, there's no guarantee of anything.

<Zool> KermitW:  Escom has business smarts.

<PillBottl> Zool: But they need engineering smarts too.

<Devophile> All: Escom needs to face the reality that the Amiga is still a
viable platform.  And with proper R&D, marketting, and distribution - the
Amiga can make Escom a lot of money.  But they need to support the users,
the developers, and listen to comments <Devophile> and suggestions.

<Zool> jcompton: True, but Escom did sound excited about the Amiga.  I
genuinely think that Escom wants to market and sell Amigas.

<fallous> Kevin, do you have a view from SoftLogik?

<KermitW> Until I see otherwise, I would assume Escom is business smart.

<Zool> PillBottl:  that's why they are hiring ex-C= techs.

<jcompton> Zool: Then why avoid contact with the Amiga market since August
of 1994?

<Beowulf_> I assume it's also not out of the question for Escom to license
the Amiga technology to third parties...

<AK> Will Escom pursue 3rd party support that has sence left the Amiga?

<Zool> jcompton: I don't know.  Perhaps because C= was a hideous company,
and they didn't want to deal with them?  Also, they said that they had
sold Amigas at Escom stores before

<KermitW> Remember that some of that third party support that left the
Amiga, left because they WEREN'T successful on the Amiga, and many still
weren't relatively successful after leaving anyway.

<softlogik> Soft-Logik is comitted to the Amiga as long as long as the
market can support them.  No special info on Escom yet.

<Zool> KermitW: Yes, but Escom is going to buy C= UK, and C= UK had GREAT
developer relationship.  They put on a World of Amiga show after C= died.

<PillBottl> A big pat on the back to Softlogik and the other "important"
developers who kept the faith!

<bytey> The real question is will a real effort be made to get a new Amiga
model out (new chipset) and that would require a _lot_ of work software
wise.  Do they have previous software staff ?  (Chris Hames
PC-Task/DirWork etc)

<Devophile> A comment I just received was in regards to why developers are
"tripping over each other to leave this platform", simply because C= did
not support developers, nor users as well as should have, and have been
basically gone for a year.  :)

<Zool> bytey:  They did say that they had and were hiring ex-C= people.

<Zool> bytey:  Some C= techs don't want to come back, though.

<KermitW> As a developer (of ImageFX) I can say that it wasn't like anyone
is forcing developers to leave the Amiga.  The market, your sales, are
what push you into new platforms.  A lot of companies who visibly and
audibly left the Amiga to go to Macs, SGIs and PCs weren't run well or
making the money they needed.  In many cases it's because their Amiga
products weren't "up to snuff" anymore.

<Devophile> Softlogik: Thank you for not betraying us, we are all
appreciative.

<bytey> Zool: But ex CBM does not mean ex US software developers.  The
ones with the knowledge that would take months to learn.

<Zool> SoftLogik: I'm with Devophile.  Nice job, you guys!

<Cappy> As the president of one of the most successful C= user groups in
the country, I hope that a US branch gets implimented soon and get user
groups involved as much as possible.

<AK> Devophile: Be tray is alittle strong, they just have to think of the
business aspect.

<Devophile> Cappy: Yes.

<softlogik> The boss thanks you.

<Zool> bytey: Well, I assume the reason they are hiring ex-C= people is to
get people with smarts on the Amiga OS.  Also, many ex-C= people don't
want to come back because they have already found nice jobs.

<Devophile> AK: Yes.  It was a poor choice of words.  :) "abandon" would
have been better.

<fallous> Such as GVP

<Zool> Cappy: Escom said that they would be starting a US operation pretty
soon.  I'll have the info on that within 2 weeks.

<bytey> have they said anything about _real_ developer support ?

<Light2> All: Bernard van Tienen ESCOM was vice-president of Commodore
International.  Does he have a track record we can follow?

<Zool> bytey: Nothing other than: "Yes, we'll work with developers"

<Zool> Light2: BTW, that was who I spoke with at Escom

<jcompton> bytey: Again, there have been no solid commitments, just a lot
of broad based indications of what CAN happen.

<Fastlane> Zool: that has been said by many before...  but did it ever
REALLY eventuate?

<Devophile> I just received an amusing comment..  "Did Sony buy Amiga or
what?"

<Cappy> Zool: Does Escom have an email address that they can be reached? 
I'd like to press the issue of the importance of user groups.

<Zool> FastLane: Who has said that before?  Other than C=?

<Zool> Cappy: I don't believe so.

<Zool> Devophile: :)

<Fastlane> Zool: my point exactly.

<Light2> Zool: Yes, I read the transcripts.  I would really like to know
what to expect.  Previous track records in mind.

<jcompton> Cappy: E-mail?  Not to our knowledge.  That would make too much
sense.  They're not even sure if they want to use the net to help promote
their product.

<KermitW> We're quite willing to give Escom the time they need to do this.
It can't possibly happen overnight or even over just two months.  
Developer support, user group programs, new machines, all this will take
time for anyone.

<Idcmp> Many ex-C='s like Dave Haynie and Dale Larson have already said
that they don't like the direction that Escom is planning for the Amiga
and

<Zool> Fastlane: Yes, that is a problem.  But since we have no real choice
in this, we have to jhope for the best.

Idcmp> it would take more $$ rather than less or equal $$ to get them to
go back to R&D rather than if CEI or alike had got it.

<Zool> You know, if Amiga users had banded together, we could have had a
legal right to send a representative to the court hearing to plead for who
we wanted?

<Zool> Idcmp: Yes, but Escom has a lot of money.

<Cappy> jcompton or Zool: How about a snail mail address?

<jcompton> Um, guys, I hate to interject, but we're losing the flow
here...

<Devophile> Another comment, Dell has a better "image" in the US than
Escom.  People might be more apt to but Amigas with the Dell name versus
Amigas with the Escom name.

<Beowulf_> jcompton: Is there a snail mail address?

<Idcmp> Zool: And in that sense Escom is alot like Commodore.  (was)

<Zool> Devophile: I dobut that will make much a difference once Escom has
an operation here.

<jcompton> Beo: None that I have access to.  Zool may have one, if not,
I'll try to get it from Dan Stets.

<jcompton> Everyone, please calm down.  I'd like to actually let the
general public be heard, so...

<Mitchman> Did they mention any plans for a US-based R&D department?  This
is obviously needed if any of the old engineers is to return.

<jcompton> Mitchman: No specific locales were given, although some
engineers have indicated their willingness to relocate in the past (Chris
Ludwig, for example.)

<Harv> So what's up with Alex/CEI?......

<Harv> I can't believe he's just gonig to fade away.....

<Harv> is an Escom/CEI deal possible? or even desireable?

<Zool> Harv:  He could possibly get a liscence to clone Amigas.

<jcompton> Harv: Well, Giorgio told me Alex said "I'm going to grow
flowers." I haven't talked to him today.  He didn't give up over a year's
time, so...

<jcompton> Harv: At the same time, throwing in with Dell certainly didn't
help him in Escom's eyes.  On the other hand, money's still money.

<Harv> he threw inwith Dell? yikes. didn't know that.

<jcompton> Harv: Desirable, I can't see how it would hurt.  Possible,
we'll see.  Pursuable?  It depends on whether or not Amor's investment
group (which has clearly shrunk by a lot since September) would go for
that...

<PieMan> Thankyou.  Does escom have any plans to continue to manifacture
amiga cd32 console type machines? 

<jcompton> Pieman: I haven't heard anything that specific discussed.  I
don't see why not, I know of at least two companies who would love new
units for their own products...

<Zool> Pieman: It makes sense.  Escom wants to get Amiga tech in other
things than the Amiga computers, so the CD32 would be step towards a set
top box

<jcompton> Pieman: But again, this is one of those things Escom needs to
be made aware of.

<Zool> Pieman: Also, if the Phillipine plant does have 130,000 akiko chips
in stock, and they buy it, I'm sure Escom will want to make CD32s.

<Zool> Pieman: there is still good profit to be had in CD32s and royalties
off it.

<Zool> Pieman: It fits with Escom's strategy.

<Beowulf_> Mention was made of Escom producing the 64 for sale in some
parts of the world.  Do you know of any plans for 64's to be sold in the
US (specifically the SX 64)?

<jcompton> Beowulf: Again, that's gotta be up to them.  The Chinese market
seems to be where they want to put the 64-it's cheap to make and cheap to
buy.  There's always the CMD market in the US, but again, Escom may not be
aware of that.

<jcompton> Beowulf: I, personally, would be surprised.

<jjohnson> If C= Uk is a subsidiary (sp?) of C= Intl who was just bought
by Escom (and the Phillipines plant also), how can those two entities not
be included with the deal?  Thanks.

<Zool> jjohnson: no, C= UK is not part of Escom, but Escom plans to buy it
in 2 weeks time.

<Zool> Escom also will probably buy the Phillipines plant.

<jcompton> Good question.  C= UK is DIRECTLY owned by Commodore BV, which
is in liquidation.  Its trustees objected to the sale of its assets
through C= International (the Philippines assets and C= UK).

<jcompton> C= BV SHOULD have to report to C= International, but because of
Commodore's convoluted structure...

<jcompton> Zool: The inventory, not the plant.  They don't own the plant.

<Zool> jcompton: It may be illegal to sell the plant to anyone other than
Escom, because there may be Amiga tech still in there that Escom owns. 
That is what the court said.

<oleg> stoopid question, is the court-approved contract available
electronically?  it is a public document, so it can be requested.  has
anyone done that?

<jcompton> oleg: It's a very LONG public document.  I, for one, don't want
to type it in.  I'll ask the lawyers on Monday, though.

<Zool> jcompton:  Ofcourse, there are such things as scanners... :)

<jcompton> oleg: You might be able to get it sent to you from the office.

<jcompton> Zool: Which any member of the audience can feel free to buy for
me.

<oleg> jcompton actually it *should* be available for the cost of
copying/mailing from the bankruptcy court if it is not available from the
attorneys

<Zool> jcompton:  :)

<Zool> jcompton: Maybe a company that makes scanners will be good enough
to take an ad out in AR, right?

<jcompton> Zool: I can always hope.

<HammerD> Any mention of C= Canada or other operating subsidaries?  Was
Douglas MacGregor there?  (head of C= Canada)

<jcompton> Ok, then, how about bytey?

<bytey> What is Escom's reputation in Germany ? GA

<jcompton> HD: Not clear.

<AK> A Amiga Deal friend of mine has said that NewTek has officially
stated that the future Amiga is of no concern of theirs.

<Zool> Are there any Germans here who have dealt with Escom?  If so, /msg
Zool so that I can answer bytey

<jcompton> bytey: Like any large company, Escom has its supporters and
detractors.  On .misc, there's a thread, one person lauds Escom for great
potential, the other says their service sucks.

<jcompton> bytey: But they've demonstrated tremendous growth lately, so
they've got attention on them, and this can't hurt.  So I guess the quick
answer is: you'll know soon.

<jcompton> Ok, Shadowhwk was lagged, let's try again...

<Zool> bytey: Willow says that Escom is very big, but doesn't have good
service.

<Shadowhwk> Has any evidence as to whether or not ESCOM has talked to, met
with or is planning to meet with NewTek? 

<Cryo> there's more to life than NewTek

<jcompton> Shadow: Too specific.  If they have, they haven't made it
public.

<jcompton> Everyone has to understand...Escom has been incredibly
secretive over the past months.  We found out more about their plans and
thought processes today than we did since the rumors started spreading in
September.

<jcompton> So, any secret deals, meetings, or promises they may have made
are still total unknowns.

<Nyx> I'd like to mention along with Cryo that NewTek, while being a very
"public" company in the eyes of the public, never sold enough Amigas to
keep C= alive.  Commodore survived on the low-end machines, and always
did.

<oleg> There is a thread on c.g.lightwave (initiated by lee stranahan an
ex-NewTek employee) that NEwTek is in deep financial trouble...  Thus they
may at least be interested in selling Amiga Toasters for a while, if only
to liquidate their inventory.

<Nyx> The only reason C= had high-end machines at all was for a technology
proving ground.

<Zool> By the way, people, Willow has told me that service is on of
Escom's selling points, but that in practice, like Radio Shack, it's not
very good, because the people don't have the expertise.

<CHamer> Thanks.  Are there any 'surprise' legal actions on the part of
the 'un-successful' bidders set to slow this down again?

<Zool> CHamer:  No, it seems as if all is smooth saling from here on in.

<jcompton> CH: Good question.  The only chance would be at the Bahamas
court, but the court has all but signed in blood that they'll say what the
US judge said, and he said "yes", so...

<Frotz> Does anybody know how to contact Escom in ANY country, like with
phone or fax or email?

<jcompton> Frotz: I don't.  One of my Dutch sysops has Escom's number, I'll
try to get it in the next issue.  Josh might have something...

<Zool> Frotz: I have one number, but I'd rather not give it out, because it
is not a general number that is given out.  Sorry.  However, when I talk to
someone at Escom, I will try to get a phone number you can fax requests for
the Amiga to.

<jcompton> Hold on...number is coming...

<Number1> Have any comments been made by either CEI (answered earlier) or
Micro-PACE, my two main distributors as an Amiga dealer?  If so, what?

<Zool> jcompton: any day now...  :)

<jcompton> reti032-"what about jcompton future plans, i mean ar issues and
possible conference qith escom boss ?"

<jcompton> Answer: I don't see any big changes for AR.  As for conference
with Escom...that's up to them, but it won't be for lack of trying on my
part.

<Zool> +49 241 27734 is one of Escom's phone numbers.  Thanks to ChrisDi
for this.

<Zool> OK, we have more phone #s.  Fax: +31-2526-72216

<jcompton> Escom is also +31-2526-87971, +31-2526-72216 fax, but those are
customer service.

<Zool> Thanks Willow for that one.

<Kthulu> Does this mean that the next Amiga will have plug in graphics and
soundboards like the ibm?  Also I would like to add that the Amiga Computer
Users of RIT hope that ESCOM will be open to suggestions from those of us
who use the computer.  I beilieve that we need to stay on top of ESCOM so
they know what we want and what can be done with the AMIGA

<Zool> Kthulu: I suppose just call those numbers, at this point.

<jcompton> Kthulu: Another question I'd love to answer, but Escom just
hasn't given us specific enough information.

<Zool> Kthulu: However, as I have said, when I talk to Escom again in 2
weeks, I will ask about where concerned Amiga users can call to voice
suggestions.

<Cyclone2> How much is Escom planning to put into Amiga R&D?  This is a
legitimate concern, since C= invested about $30 million a year in Amiga
R&D, and it wasn't enough.

<Zool> Cyclone2: It sounds like they are willing to spend a lot.  They
know that the Amiga need new technology upgrades, and that it will take a
lot of work to incorporate the Power PC into the Amiga.

<jcompton> "As much as they say they will." As of now, Escom is a >$1
billion company.  Their clones require far less R+D than the Amiga would,
and the 64 certainly won't be an engineering challenge.

<Zool> jcompton: Yes, but if they believe that the Amiga can be a viable
computer, they will spend on R&D.

<jcompton> Zool: Of course.

<Zool> jcompton: And Escom did say that they bought it to make Amigas, and
that they wouldn't have put the time into it otherwise, nor the money.

<Zool> Another Escom phone number, this one Germany: +49 6252 71313 Thank
ChrisDi for that one!

<jcompton> Zool: I think they could turn a handy profit without the Amiga.
In fact, I'll submit that the Amiga is the riskiest part of a balanced diet
of PC and Mac clones, the 64, and the Amiga.

<Zool> jcompton: They could make a profit without the Amiga, but they
could make a bigger profit WITh the Amiga.

<Zool> jcompton: I believe that they want to revamp the Amiga.  I could be
very wrong, but that is what they conveued to me.  And a revitalized Amiga
sold in big computer chains could make money.

<Nyx> Not unless you can attract big name software vendors as well.

<Zool> Nyx: Those will come if Escom sells Amigas again, especially if
they put them in all Escom stores and other big computer chains.

<Nyx> Zool: Perhaps in Europe.

<CHamer> When are we going to see some machines appear?

<Zool> I think that Escom should sell cheap A1200s to China, because that
would really boost the Amiga user market.

<Zool> CHamer:  In 2 months, according to Escom.

<Zool> CHamer: They already had a deal set up with a Chinese firm to make
Amigas in their plants.

<CHamer> Is that real, or just 'smoke'?

<mr_t> Have Escom talket with the AmigaOS replacement group?  and what are
their plans for distribution to others than their own stores?

<jcompton> Zool: Um, your interview says 3 months.

<Zool> Chamer: Well, the Chinese were at the hearing, so i assume so.

<Zool> jcompton: [sigh] That must have been a typo...

<mr_t> How are they going to promote the Amiga vs PC?

<jcompton> mr_t: Another question locked in the brains of many German and
Dutch execs.  We just don't know yet.

<Zool> mr_t: Willow informs me that Escom hasn't contacted the Amiga OS
project.  However, C= Uk did contact the Amiga OS project, and Escom will
be buying C= UK, so they may contact them through C= UK.

<Optic> Will American/Canadian stores be able to sell Amigas, or do Escom
only sell their products through Escom retail outlets?

<Zool> Optic: I assume that Escom will sell Amigas everywhere.  It makes
business sense to sell them in stores other than their own, because they
can make more profit off the Amiga that way.

<jcompton> Zool: That's a pretty simplified view.  Pleasance sent the OS
people a letter saying "Good work, carry on, we think it's neat", but
there was no commitment made...

<Zool> Optic: Ofcourse, that will be a measure of how much they want the
Amiga to survive.  If they don't allow other stores to have it, that's a
bad sign.

<Zool> jcompton: Actually, he said that they were interested in talking to
them, and that was before they got the Amiga, and just that he acknowledges
them is a good sign.

<Pala> what did do the amiga director of escom when he was at C=, how good
how bad ?

<jcompton> Pala: Good question.  I'd never heard of the guy.

<Zool> jcompton: I though you knew everything about C=...my idolization of
you is shattered...  :)

<jcompton> Zool: Sorry, CIL management wasn't one of my fortes.

<jcompton> I'd just like to interject that I DO strongly feel that Escom's
purchase of Commodore's assets seriously imperils the future of floor
scrubber development.

<mage> From which point would it be realistic to think Escom would continue
R&D?  Will they start over from scratch, or will they keep any of the "old
stuff" ?

<jcompton> (It's been asked that I point out that CIL had a good dozen or
two vice presidents at any given time, so this one was probably nothing to
worry about.)

<Zool> I just want to say that although I agree that Escom could turn out
to be VERY bad, they could also turn out to be VERY good for the Amiga.

<jcompton> mage: Well, Amor toyed with the idea of scrapping AAA and
3DRISC, because the benefit-to-time ratio may not have added up.  But it's
going to be up to Escom's evaluation.

<Zool> mage: I don't think we really know.  They could go Power PC and
,make old software compatible, or they might feel that it is easier to
start from scratch with the Power PC.

<jcompton> mage: As it stands, AAA and 3DRISC (separately) are each a good
18+ months from saleable completion.

<Nyx> Zool: 18+ months before you could have them in a sellable product.

<droids> Does Escom have a floor scrubber, and do they know how to use it?

<jcompton> droids: Probably, but unfortuately they haven't admitted it.

<Zool> Also, I think that with Escom, we pretty much have an all or nothing
venture.  They either are going to kill the Amiga, or do great things with
it and push it like crazy.

<WilloW> Zool: That's correct.  Is a totaly unknown thing.  Maybe they are
worse then C= or ten times better.

<HiDog> Did Escom mention their intended market?  High/low end, desktop/
console etc.?  I still have a feeling they might just milk the Amiga
technology as is and eventually kill it i.e.  cheap settop box...

<jcompton> Hidog: They mentioned all markets, like the good salesmen they
had on hand.

<Zool> HiDog: I believe that they want to do low end for new markets, like
China, but on the other hand, I think they wanted to make Amiga business
machines for the European market, which is very business oriented

<Sudog> How long can we expect to wait (perhaps an estimate?) before we see
some sort of action in North America?  I'm looking for general ballpark,
not exact figures.  So far from what I've heard, it doesn't look good for
us.  Please, your impressions would be wlcm.

<Sudog> I ask this for the users out ther who have broken Amigas!  Like
broken a4000s.

<jcompton> sudog: Well, what Giorgio told me about their answer to the US
distribution question was NOT encouraging.  Their answer was "Well, we'll
look for the best people", which means "We haven't thought about it."

<Zool> Sudog: Escom said that they want to set up American offices soon,
and Colin Proudfoot says that Escom wants to use this to get into the US
market, so I think it looks pretty good.

<Zool> jcompton: Hmmm...conflicting answers...

<oggy> Escom are breaking into the UK PC market theyve bought up all the
rumberlow(formaly owned by Thorn Emi) and are opening superstores on top of
these in the UK, now theyve bought C= and say they plan to break into the
US market as well, although they have..

<jcompton> Zool: Yes, and you were both talking to the same guy...

<oggy> large captial, will it be enough or have they bitten off more than
they can chew?

<Zool> jcompton: perhaps I misunderstood his statement.  However, he did
say that they were going to be setting up some kind of US contact, somehow,
and Colin Proudfoot did say that Escom wanted to get into the US market.

<jcompton> oggy: Rhetorical question.  :)

<Zool> oggy: Escom definitely has the capital to the do whatever they want
with teh Amiga...

<jcompton> Zool: Because as salesmen, they would be committing suicide to
rule anything out.  That's their job.

<JoeC> What was Microsoft's objection at the hearing, and who gets to pay
that old cursor patent fee now from that other company?

<jcompton> JoeC: Microsoft didn't object, they were at the auction as a
creditor.

<Zool> oggy: The computer market is growing in Europe, and they are
positioned to make a nice sum off it.

<jcompton> JoeC: And it will fall on Escom to re-license the CadTrack
patent, and pay up all of the MANY MANY patents that are "not in good
standing".

<jcompton> For instance, the CrossDOS license is not in good standing,
along with hundreds of others.

<Corinna> Comment: We need to be positive about the future with Escom,
being negative will not help anyone, us or them.  This could be a whole new
era for the Amiga.  KEEP THE FAITH!  :)

<jcompton> Interestingly enough, not even Consultron knew it was not in
good standing...

<Corinna> Thanks to Zool and Jason and all other folks for the info!

<Zool> Corinna: Thank you!  I think that since we are stuck with Escom, we
should hope for the best, and wait to see what happens.

<Optic> jc: What about the Amiga speech synth?

<jcompton> Optic: I didn't see it in there, I thought that was a dead
issue.

<jcompton> I'll agree...but this is also not the time to be complacent. 
We've been screwed around before, and this last year hasn't exactly been
fun, so it's worth our while to make DAMN sure Escom knows what they have
to do.

<Piranha> Since IBM still has patents pending on some of the architecture
on the Amiga platform, is it *secure* that Escom has the technology, or
will they end up going to court again?  This will put our Amiga's out of
commission 'again'.  Is this something we have to worry about?

<jcompton> Piranha: Unfortunately, the result of IBM's claim was unclear. 
The main problem seems to be that they weren't LISTED as holders, making
them wonder what the liquidator was trying to pull.

<jcompton> Piranha: They held a license, not the patents themselves.

<Zool> Piranha: It is secure.

<Zool> Pirahna: IBM dropped their objection, as far as I understand.

<Drizzit> Will Escom allow ship Amigas with better CPUs with stock machines
(ie 25,33,&40MHz models) instead of just one (25MHz right now)?   And will
they move on to the PowerPC, the 060, or some other RISC based chip?

<jcompton> Drizzit: We don't know the answer yet.

<Zool> Drizzit: The have said that they like the Power PC chip, but that no
decision has been made yet.

<Lighty> The following question is for Zool to include in his next
interview with Escom:

<Lighty> I realize that the matter has probably not been discussed
internally yet, but in a future version of the Amiga's OS, do they plan to
include plan to include internet capabilities?

<Zool> Lighty: OK, I'll ask them that when I next speak to them.  Thanks
for the suggestion.

<TritN> I'm sure I speak on Behalf of many ppl within the large Amiga
community of Montreal, Quebec.  I Must ask, Is there any news about
distribution in other countries like Canada?  (Also please comment of fate
of C= Canada)

<jcompton> Tritn: C= Canada was a direct subsidiary of C= International, so
will be part of Escom.

<jcompton> Tritn: No news about Canada otherwise, though.

<mr_t> Has Escom said anything about what direction the are planning on
developing hardware and OS (besides setop and PPC)?

<Fastlane> let me add also with Australia (C=Australia was never any good)

<Zool> mr_t: No.

<jcompton> mr_t: No, but I'm sure they haven't ruled anything out.

<Draegon> What kind of support can we posibly expect for older amigas?

<jcompton> Draegon: I'd say you should stop hot-swapping joysticks now,
just in case.

<CHamer> Thanks, Are there going to be assurance that while machine
production ramps up, that parts will become available as well?

<jcompton> CH: No, there's no assurance of that at all.  This is another
one of those things Escom won't think of unless they hear enough complaints
and prodding.

<oleg> zool, who exactly are you, and what relationship, if any do you have
with ESCOM?

<Zool> oleg: I am the Editor-in-Chief of Amiga Link Online Magazine.  I
have no relationship with Escom, except that I talked to them today at the
hearing.

<Spinner> Will the Chinese manufacturer mean cheaper (cost and/or quality),
more expensive, or similar to current AMigas?

<Spinner> Will we see an A4000 cost competitive to a 486 syustem?

<jcompton> Spinner: I'm not sure what the relation of Chinese-to-
Philippines labor costs are, but I'd imagine Chinese labor is a few degrees
cheaper, at least.

<Zool> Spinner: It will probably mean Slave labor, sadly.

<oleg> zool so why aren't we getting at least some "I don't know answers
from you"?  you CANNOT conceivably have covered every question asked here
in your talk with ESCOM, soo how much is speculation on your part, and how
much is ESCOM answers?

<Cryo> thank you all for attending..  we have some entertainment for you
coming up

<Cryo> We are going to tie jason down and let you all come with your cow
prods and have at him

<jcompton> Yeah, that about does it for the formal part, everyone.  Thank
you very much for coming, the official edited transcripts will be appearing
in the online magazine of your choice...

<Zool> oleg: I haven't said that because I don't answer what I can't
answer.  And yes, there is a matter of speculation inveolved, but it's the
best that I can do with a 3 minute conversation.

<jcompton> All I have left to say is that I'm not about to watch Escom
screw this up, so I'd appreciate all the help I can get making sure they
don't.
@endnode
@node FEATURE4 "Potter on Piracy"
@toc FEATURE

===========================================================================
                             POTTER ON PIRACY
                            By Jonathan Potter
===========================================================================

Jason,

        I just thought I'd write a quick letter to AReport to express my
disappointment with the actions of some members of the Amiga community.  As
you may be aware, Directory Opus 5 has just been released.  This is a
significant upgrade; the program has been completely rewritten after more
than 6 months of hard work.  Less than a week after its release, pirate
copies have already spread around the world.

        Software piracy is a problem as old as computers themselves, and of
course we'd be naive not to expect it.  But to have the program appear so
quickly on pirate BBS' makes me wonder just exactly how tuned in to reality
some people are.  The position of the Amiga at the moment is exceptionally
precarious, as I would have thought was obvious to anybody, and the only
thing keeping it alive are the developers who still believe in the
platform.

        Many times in the past six months I've had to ask myself why I was
wasting my time programming for a nearly-dead computer.  Obviously, I do it
because I enjoy it, but the hard truth is that I have to justify it in
dollar terms - philanthropy is all well and good, but if I don't make any
money I don't eat.  The Amiga market is already small enough without the
added burden of rampant piracy to contend with.

        I guess all I'm trying to do is to appeal to people; if they really
believe in the Amiga, and really want to see it continue, don't contribute
to its downfall by ripping off the hard work of the very people who are
keeping it alive.

        Regards,

                Jonathan Potter
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
|     Jonathan Potter      yeti@adam.com.au     +61-412-845-696    |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
@endnode
@node REVIEW1 "Kingpin by Team17"
@toc REVIEW

===========================================================================
                              REVIEW: KINGPIN
                           By: @{" Jason Compton " link JASON}
===========================================================================

The first nice thing you can say about Kingpin is "Thank God, a sport that
ISN'T soccer on the Amiga!"

We still may never see a decent baseball game on the Amiga, but the fate of
bowling is sealed by this new budget offering from Team17.

[Just so we're all in the same frame of reference, this is 10-pin bowling,
not lawn bowling, which is so often referred to as bocce that I don't know
what the problem is.]

The history of computer bowling can prety much be expressed (for me) in
three games:

Atari 2600's Bowling, a fairly crude yet compelling bowling simulation,
with a blocky ball that travelled across the screen at square dot pins-you
had your choice of straight, curve, or "steering" control.  With steering,
all you had to do was wiggle the joystick upon contact and you were pretty
much going to get a strike.

Tenth Frame on the 64 was done by Access, the people who brought you
Leader Board golf and the well-intentioned Echelon.  Their big thing was
"rotoscoped animation" which gave you a rather nice looking bowler and pin
action, but the control system left something to be desired...

Now, Kingpin brings rendered pins, ball weight selection, and a nice mix
between arcade challenge and control ease.

The action centers on lane 17 (cute), with male/female selectable bowlers,
team play, and a PA announcer who comes up with something to say every now
and then for atmosphere.  You get team/league play, practice rounds, and
"Arcade Spares Challenge" to test your skill.

You'll want to know how to throw the ball, of course, once you pick your
game.  That control system I referred to is pretty straightforward.  You
pick your power level, position your bowler, and hit the button, at which
point an arrow starts bouncing back and forth (more rapidly the harder
you're throwing the ball) to select the direction you'll be throwing in.
Hit the button again to stop the arrow at what you think is going to be
the right place, watch the ball roll...then, as the ball gets close, your
view will switch to a closeup.  Around now, or perhaps before (it depends
on lane conditions and how bad your throw was) you'll want to push the
joystick to put curve on the ball.  Then the contact, the pins fly, get
picked up, the sweeper comes, etc.

Did I say lane conditions?  Yep.  Each time you play, you get a different
set of lane conditions...it can play faster than usual, have a particular
tendency to curve one way or another...much like real life.  (You'll
quickly discover which set of lane conditions fit your play style best,
and probably keep quitting and restarting until you get it.)

A rather nice feature is that you get a nice view of what pins are left
and a little arrow indicating how you should hit it to get a spare (if
applicable).  If you get a spare, a strike, or pick up a difficult split,
you get cheered by your fellow bowlers-a difficult split will even get you
an instant replay.

Sounds pretty good, all things considered, right?  You're right.  If you
can get into the game, you'll be happy.  But to get in, you must pass the
most nefarious and evil of all copy protection schemes-the "type in a
number" scheme.  Actually, that's not too bad in itself, but Team17 has
decided that the combination of black ink on black paper would be a
necessary precaution for a $20 game.  Black ink on black paper is quite
easily the hardest thing to read in the world, and you'll want a bright
light available.

I also have a slight problem with the close up mode...the frame and the
pins just don't look to be on the same angle and camera view, so it can be
a bit disorienting if you look at it the wrong way.

AGA support exists, although I was unsuccessful in running the program on a
4000/040.  (It worked fine on the CD32/SX-1.)  The only real improvement is
in the title screen, though.  Hard drive installation is supported, but you
still need the original disk.

The gameplay, though, is rock-solid and quite a bit of fun...and I know
I'll never get scores like this in real life.  So if you're tired of
Sensible World Soccer Manager Manchester United Champions Manager of the
World Cup, and have a few bucks to blow, and are an awful bowler in real
life, grab Kingpin.
@endnode
@node REVIEW2 "Review: Netrek for AmiTCP"
@toc REVIEW

===========================================================================
                              REVIEW: NETREK
                           By: @{" Robert Niles " link ROBERT}.
===========================================================================

RED ALERT, RED ALERT!!

The klaxons sound off, you notice another Romulan approaching, just as you
thought you were through.  You're shields are at 38% and your damage
already extensive.

"Comms!!"

"Yes Captain!"

"Send out a distress call!"

"Yes Captain."

Your palms are sweating as you try to maneuver away from the approaching
vessel.

Suddenly the ship rocks, you're thrown to the side, a console to the rear
explodes.

"Fire phasers!!"

Steady streams of light reach out toward the Romulan ship. To no avail.

"Incoming torpedos!"

"Evasive maneuvers!"

The first misses, the second and third strike hard, threatening to tear
apart every scrap of metal holding the ship together.

"Sir, we've lost shields aft."

"Sir, friendly vessel approaching."

"Get us out of here. Head towards the Federation ship."

Phasers streak across the ship, the explosion deafening ..blinding.
Another hit and ....

Well, maybe NETREK isn't as glamorous as this, but it does get the
adrenaline rushing through your veins, and you palms sweat as you find out
that you are going to have to buy a new mouse because you just pounded the
left mouse button to death.

What is Netrek?

It's a game playable on the Internet, and it's available for the Amiga. 
You have four races at the start, The Federation, the Romulans, the
Klingons and the Orions.  When the game first starts, you can choose
whomever you want to be, but then it gets narrowed down to two with at the
most, eight people on each team.  The goal is to take over the enemy
planets while destroying the enemy, without getting destroyed yourself.

You have a choice of the type of ship you use, everything from a battleship
to the lowly scout.  Each with it's pros and cons.  Each ship has torpedos
and phasers, and the ability to cloak.  To get a more powerful weapon, you
have to kill so many enemies.

When you first start you maneuver around trying to either kill the opposing
players or by bombing planets.  Doing either of these is a must in order to
get the ability to carry armies to place them on enemy planets...which is
the only way to take one over.

Hence you are forced to battle.

The documentation for the AmiTCP (AS225) version is sparse.  Alot of what I
learned was by trial and error.  One thing you need is a fast modem.  At
least a 14.4, but 28.8 is preferable and a TCP connection to the Internet.

You have two maps.  A "local" one, which shows the area in which you are
in, and a Galaxy map, which gives you an overall view of where the planets
and the other players are.

I won't go into documenting the game, but here's a few things that
newcomers should know.

To play against other you have to connect to a server.  At the end of the
article I've named two servers.  To connect you type:

netrek -h <server address>

When you enter, enter as 'guest'.  When doing this you will get a chance to
get a feel for the game, which can be difficult at first.  Even a little
fustrating when you are learning the keys and are getting used to
manuvering and firing with the mouse.  Be prepared, you will get killed
alot until you get used to things, even picked on a bit, as the enemy needs
kills to do other things, and you being a easy target, gives them a
wonderful chance to excell.  Later you can pick a nickname, and password. 
In doing so, stats are kept on that nick, kill ratios, ranking, etc.

After you enter the game hit '+'.  This brings up a window in which you
have the chance to change the "transmission" of stats using either the TCP
protocol or UPD.  Change this to UPD, this make an unbelievable difference
in getting smooth updates, which makes game play considerably better.

The left mouse button fire photons in the direction of the pointer, the
right will move your ship in the direction of the pointer.  Selecting 1-9
changes the speed in which you are moving.  One being the slowest, nine the
fastest.  Note: The faster you go, the longer it takes to make a turn.

To orbit a planet (for repairs, fuel, or bombing) place your mouse on the
planet and hit 'l' ...this will lock you onto the planet, and automatically
set you in orbit.

Hit 'h' for help.  This brings up a window with a listing of all the
commands and a brief description of each command.  Which there are alot to
keep track of. 

I hope this will bring you about to try Netrek, for it's a wonderful way to
take your fustration out on others across the world ...and the Universe.

See you in space :)

Robert Niles
Netrek nick: tsunami
email: rniles@wolfe.net

Netrek can be found on Aminet under game/role/Netrek-client.lha
Author: Randall Jesup

There is also a version for DNet.

Netrek Information on the Web:
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/jch/netrek/README.html

Netrek sites in which you can use AmiTCP Netrek:
(This is just a couple, there are many more in North America and Europe.)

netrek.cs.mcgill.ca
bigbang.astro.indiana.edu
@endnode
@node REVIEW3 "The A2410 and A2410 EGS"
@toc REVIEW

===========================================================================
      REVIEW: THE A2410 (U.  Lowell) TIGA GRAPHICS CARD AND A2410 EGS
                           By: @{" Jason Compton " link JASON}
===========================================================================

The Amiga situation could be something of a biblical epic...we've escaped
slavery in search of the promised land.  Of course, now we have to be sure
van Tienen and his Escom associates aren't just new pharoahs in disguise,
but...

Another way to put it is that we Amigans have become a bit of a scavenger
race...scrounging for parts, software, and hardware wherever they become
available.  The A2410 card is a perfect example.

Initially built by Commodore as a graphics board for its 3000UX machines,
the card is based on a University of Lowell design for a TI-based graphics
processor chip at 50mhz.  It can operate from a 24-bit palette but only
256 on-screen colors, and is Zorro II.

At the time of its release, its value was somewhere around $1000.  Up
until they ran out (just a week or so ago) Software Hut was selling them
as Liquidation-Ware(tm) for a mere $140, and rumor has it they can be had
for even less in Germany.

The TIGA system was never very well developed for the Amiga (TIGA being,
essentially, that which makes the card go)-the environment still has a
message from a DevCon on it.  Direct Workbench emulation for the card has
been attempted, but nothing much has come of it.  Instead, a stable (well,
fairly stable) and usable (well, fairly usable) EGS environment has been
created.

The EGS environment allows the card to run EGS-direct applications as well
as a not-bad Intution emulation on the 256-color environment of the card.
It is certainly not perfect, especially on the Intuition side, but the EGS
applications have stabilized considerably.

The card offers resolutions up to 1024x1024 interlaced (there are only 5
available modes, and you must choose two in HARDWARE by having the proper
oscillators installed.  The shipped modes are 800x600NI and 1024x768NI),
and EGS will support them all.  I personally have only been able to test
600x800NI as it is all my monitor will support, and I haven't been able to
locate the proper oscillator for 1024x768I.  Of course, for the money
you're paying, you don't get video passthrough, so either get a switchbox
or deal with the wear and tear of ripping the cable back and forth.

The EGS environment itself may seem a bit foreign at first to Amiga
users-it is in effect a separate entity if you run EGS-direct
applications, and you have to get used to the new display and rules.  It's
something that has to be experienced to be understood.  However, you will
only use it in conjunction with EGS-direct applications, and they are not
in massive abundance (usually picture viewers, although ImageFX 1.5 had an
EGS-direct version).  I find it most useful for the viewers and ImageFX
2.0 rendering (you can only render out to the card.)

For "normal" use, you can tell ScreenMode Prefs to use your A2410 mode for
Workbench.  This works fairly well, but you won't be stunned by the speed.
I'd venture to say that a 4000/040 at 256 colors can give it a run for its
money.  Nevertheless, it is there, and it DOES work.  Unfortunately, I
have yet to find a way to display more than one Intuition screen on the
card-meaning that you have to run everything on the Workbench if you want
to use the card.  This isn't TERRIBLE, but one of the nice things about
the Amiga is screen flipping...at any rate, software is not ENTIRELY
stable here.  Photogenics does not like the emulation, and, surprisingly
enough, amigaguide.library/.datatype doesn't seem to, either.  Mosaic also
seems a bit less stable.  However, it IS a 256 color Workbench, for better
or worse.

So, why pick up such a card?  Well, CyberGraphics may be developed for it
soon (by the same person who wrote A2410 EGS), which would seem to
promise better WB compatibility.  It also is an escape, albeit a minor
one, for ECS users.  (EGS has a nasty habit of dithering things when it
shouldn't, so in some cases, pictures WILL look better on ECS,
particularly if they are <256 colors.)  Up until recently, when Software
Hut ran out of its stock from the Commodore US auction, it and the Retina
were the only two readily available video cards in North America.  (The
Picasso II is available infrequently, and now SoftWood has signed on to do
distribution of the CyberVision here...)  It does work with the Emplant,
although only in 1024x768.  It's also not a bad deal.

Nope, it's not for everyone, and if you've got more money to blow, by all
means do.  But for an ECS user, considering that the card shouldn't run
you more than $100 used, it may be a nice escape into high resolutions
(you really can cram a lot onto an 800x600 Workbench) and true 256 color
display.  I'm also told that because the TI chip is a true graphics
processor, software could, if it so chose, use it as a coprocessor...but I
don't know of anything that does.

Your choice.  Me, I don't have too many regrets, other than finding out
two weeks after getting it that Softwood would have the Cybervision...


EGS and A2410 EGS are available on orion.etsu.edu for FTP.

EGS is a product of Viona Development.

A2410 EGS is a product of Juergen Schober (point@sbox.tu-graz.ac.at)
@endnode
@node REVIEW4 "Emulation Rambler: PCT3"
@toc REVIEW

===========================================================================
                 EMULATION RAMBLER: PC-TASK 3.1 BENCHMARKS
                           By: @{" Jason Compton " link JASON}
===========================================================================

Hello again, emulation fans.  I think we've just about beat PC-Task 3.1
into the ground, but in case you needed them, yeah, here's a couple of
benchmarks.

PC-Task 3.1
-----------

YES.  PC-Task 3.1 works pretty well, more or less.  I've even been
hammering around with an old version of Lotus 1-2-3 (2.x) and it's not too
shabby...but I wouldn't want to have hundreds of random variables.

The point is, PC-Task 3.1 is an actively supported product with consistent
online support and responsive developers.  So active and responsive that
Quasar Distribution and Chris Hames will be holding an Amiga Report
conference...as soon as we can get a date set.

But, since everyone loves benchmarks, here you go...

PC-Task 3.1 on a 3000/030 (25mhz):

From PC Magazine benchmarks:

                   vs. XT   vs. AT (8mhz)   vs. XT-Turbo   vs. AT-Turbo

128k NOP            0.9         0.4             3.4            1.4

Do-nothing          1.8         0.7             1.6            0.6

Int. add            1.1         0.3             1.5            0.3

Int. mult.          2.1         0.3             2.3            0.3

String sort         1.1         0.3             1.2            0.3

Prime # sieve       1.2         0.3             1.2            0.3

8086/88 inst. set   1.4         0.4             1.4            0.4

[Turbo mode is the PC-Task 3 Turbo mode, which requires loads of memory
but returns higher levels of performance]

Memory accesses were 2.0 vs an AT in normal mode, slightly higher in
Turbo.

SI 4.5 results:

1.8 vs. XT
2.7 vs. XT-Turbo.

A more thorough set of benchmarks on a 4000/040 will be done when PC-Task
3 takes on Emplant PC...as soon as we get Emplant PC.

PC-Task 3.1
Quasar Distribution
pctask@quasar.dialix.oz.au
@endnode
@node CHARTS1 "Aminet Charts for 16-Apr-95"
@toc FTP

| The 10 most downloaded files from Aminet during the week until 16-Apr-95
| Updated weekly. Most popular file on top.
|
|File              Dir        Size Age Description
|----------------- ---        ---- --- -----------
ar308.lha          docs/mags   83K   0+Amiga Report 3.08, April 11, 1995
ShapeShift2_0.lha  misc/emu   134K   0+Macintosh II emulator, V2.0
Scorch185.lha      game/shoot 439K   0+Scorched Tanks V1.85
ZGifDT39.13.lha    util/dtype   6K   0+The FASTEST gif.datatype there is.
AmosaicFAQ.lha     docs/misc  187K   0+AmigaGuide FAQ for all vers of
                                          AMosaic
BattleDuel.lha     game/2play 565K   0+The very best 'Artillery' game (ECS,
                                          AGA)
AmigaElm-v6.lha    comm/mail  356K   0+Mail-Reader (UUCP/Internet), v6
                                          (6.24)
FingerInfo10.lha   comm/net     2K  43+Finger useful/interesting sites
TCPHelp110.lha     comm/tcp   131K   0+Button-based internet tools.
@endnode
@node CHARTS2 "Aminet Charts for 23-Apr-95"
@toc FTP

| The 10 most downloaded files from Aminet during the week until 23-Apr-95
| Updated weekly. Most popular file on top.
|
|File              Dir        Size Age Description
|----------------- ---        ---- --- -----------
arAUCTION.lha      docs/mags   21K   0+Amiga Report Special Auction Issue
buyout.txt         docs/misc    4K   0+Complete story of the conclusion of
                                          the 
ANews16.lha        docs/mags  120K   0+AmyNews #16; info on new Amiga
                                          products
ShapeShift2_0.lha  misc/emu   134K   1+Macintosh II emulator, V2.0
ar308.lha          docs/mags   83K   1+Amiga Report 3.08, April 11, 1995
escomlogo.lha      pix/illu    39K   0+The Escom Logo
GetMail.lha        comm/tcp    13K   1+AmiTCP POP Client for receiving
                                          E-Mail.
ARTv1i1A.lha       docs/mags   62K   1+ARTech Volume 1, Issue 1, AmigaGuide
                                          for
AmiWin.lha         pix/wb      60K   0+Grabs to show the Amiga's superior-
                                          ity
Scorch185.lha      game/shoot 439K   1+Scorched Tanks V1.85
@endnode
@node CHARTS3 "Aminet Charts for 30-Apr-95"
@toc FTP

| The 10 most downloaded files from Aminet during the week until 30-Apr-95
| Updated weekly. Most popular file on top.
|
|File              Dir        Size Age Description
|----------------- ---        ---- --- -----------
arAUCTION.lha      docs/mags   21K   1+Amiga Report Special Auction Issue
buyout.txt         docs/misc    4K   1+Complete story of the conclusion of
                                          the
FView141.lha       gfx/show    35K   0+FastView V1.41 - VERY Fast IFF/GIF/
                                          BMP/J
AlienBreed3D.lha   game/demo  443K   0+Alien Breed 3D Playable Preview 
ANews16.lha        docs/mags  120K   1+AmyNews #16; info on new Amiga
                                          products
escomlogo.lha      pix/illu    39K   1+The Escom Logo
VChck653.lha       util/virus 121K   0+Version 6.53 of Virus_Checker. Amiga
                                          Virus
zombies2.lha       game/shoot 398K   0+Gory death kill Op. Wolf style game
WPGdtype.lha       util/dtype  15K   1+Datatype for wpg images, V 39.0
BattleDuel.lha     game/2play 566K   0+The very best 'Artillery' game ECS,
                                          AGA V
@endnode
@node FTP1 "RARS R2 (v.45)"
@toc FTP

TITLE

     Robot Auto Racing Simulation (RARS)

VERSION

     Amiga version Release 2, based on the RARS 0.45 sources.

AUTHOR

     Amiga version by:

          Marcel Offermans

          e-mail : M.F.Offermans@WbMT.TUDelft.NL
          fidonet: 2:281/614.1

     Original MS-DOS version by:

          Mitchell E. Timin

          e-mail : met7@cac.psu.edu

DESCRIPTION

     The Robot Auto Racing Simulation (RARS) is a simulation of auto
     racing in which the cars are driven by robots. Its purpose is
     two-fold: to serve as a vehicle for Artificial Intelligence
     development and as a recreational competition among software
     authors. The host software, including C++ source, is available at
     no charge. It currently runs under MSDOS and UNIX, including
     Linux, and on the Amiga.

     RARS consists of a simulation of the physics of cars racing on a
     track, with a simple bird's-eye view of the race. The unique
     feature is that each car is controlled by a separate and
     independent control program. Each car is "driven" by its own
     control program, which receives information from the simulation
     telling it about the car's local situation. The "driver" (control
     program) adjusts the steering and throttle, and then the physics
     simulation moves the car. This happens many times per second, of
     course. Every car has exactly the same physical characteristics,
     only the "drivers" are different. Hence, the result is a
     competition between the control programs. Furthermore, the
     competition is visible as an auto race, with acceleration,
     passing, cornering, braking, etc.

     It is intended that many users will write their own robot
     "drivers". More than a dozen similar, but not identical, examples
     are supplied. These are meant to serve as examples for
     programmers wishing to develop their own. The control programs
     may be written in other languages if they are linker-compatible
     on the the intended platform. To date the robot "driver" programs
     have used C++ or ANSI C.

     For genetic programming, the races will be between several
     programs selected from an evolving population of programs. The
     racing may take place continuously for long periods of time, with
     the graphic display disabled for faster execution. Of course
     losers will be eliminated and winners will breed. Genetic
     Algorithm proponents will probably design robot drivers with a
     vector of parameters to be determined by evolution. Neural nets
     are also candidate "drivers". It will be up to the experimenter
     to decide if human-designed robots are allowed to compete with
     the evolving population.

     The race tracks are defined by ASCII files. Many pre-defined
     tracks are supplied. The desired track is named on the command
     line. Users can create their own tracks using any text editor,
     although this is not a trivial process unless a CAD program is
     used to find the exact lengths, angles, and radii for the track
     segments. It is possible to do it by trial and error, however.

NEW FEATURES

     This release is based on the latest RARS sources. Compared to the
     first release, the track and text drawing have been improved.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

     AmigaOS Release 2.04 or better.
     An 68020 CPU or better.

     The SAS/C 6.55 compiler to recompile the sources.

     An FPU is highly recommended as it will speed up the simulation
     considerably.

AVAILABILITY

     You can obtain RARS from the RARS anonymous ftp site,
     where you can also find other related files:

     ftp://magdanoz.mcafee.com/bin/ftp/rars/RARS_Amiga_2.lha

     Alternatively, you can obtain it from an Aminet site,
     for example:

     ftp://ftp.luth.se/pub/aminet/misc/sci/RARS_Amiga_2.lha

     Archive size: 142266 bytes

PRICE

     The software and the sources are available for free.

DISTRIBUTABILITY

     Copyright (C) 1994, 1995
          Marcel Offermans
          Mitchell E. Timin

OTHER

     The reason that this release requires at least an 68020 is that I
     have discovered what turns out to be a bug in the SAS/C 6.55
     compiler which can only be worked around if you compile for an
     68020 and not use the optimizer.
@endnode
@node FTP2 "ToolManager 2.1a"
@toc FTP

TITLE

     ToolManager

VERSION

     2.1a

AUTHOR

     Stefan Becker

     E-Mail:   stefanb@yello.ping.de

     Address:         Verkehrsstrasse 11
              D-44809 Bochum
                      GERMANY

     NOTE: My addresses have changed since the last release.
           Please DO NOT use the old addresses anymore!

DESCRIPTION

     ToolManager is a full featured program for either Workbench or CLI
     tool management. Includes the ability to add menu items to the 2.x
     "Tools" menu, add Workbench icons or dock windows.

     The configuration is based on a object-oriented concept and handled
     by a preferences program.

     ToolManager supports ARexx, localization, networking and sound.

     This release is only a small upgrade, you'll still need the full
     ToolManager 2.1 release.

NEW FEATURES

     Changes since version 2.1:

        - Support for ScreenNotify, docks now open/close automatically
        - Updated WBStart-Handler to V1.4, which fixes the path problem
        - Included the missing AutoDoc file
        - Included screennotify.library V1.0

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

     AmigaOS 2.04 (V37) or better
     ToolManager 2.1 release

AVAILABILITY

     ToolManager 2.1a is available on Aminet, e.g.

     ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/util/boot/ToolManager21a.lha (25017)

PRICE

     GiftWare. Recommended donation is US $10-$20 or 10-20DM.

DISTRIBUTABILITY

     Freely distributable, (c) 1990-1995 Stefan Becker
@endnode
@node FTP3 "BlitzBlank 2.50"
@toc FTP

TITLE

     BlitzBlank

VERSION

     2.50

AUTHOR

     Thomas Boerkel

     E-Mail: thomas@amiga_inside2.schiele-ct.de

DESCRIPTION

     BlitzBlank is a modular screen blanker package with the
     following features:

     - stable
     - fast
     - low cpu-time usage by the blanker task
     - comfortable
     - highly configurable
     - many interesting, fancy, nice modules
     - compatible with most graphics cards
     - build-in mouseblanker
     - nice GUI
     - ARexx interface
     - joyport monitoring
     - AmigaGuide docs with context-sensitive help
     - Installer script for easy and automatic installing
     - flexible random option
     - no burn-in if the blanker halts (because another task needs
       the CPU)
     - no crash or hang, if a nasty program opens its window on the
       blanker screen
     - UnInstaller for riskless testing
     - 29 modules:
       AmigaSign, Butterfly, Clock, Crumble, Dissolve, Electric,
       Execute, Fade, Flash, Fountain, Guru, Life, Lines, Mandel,
       Melt, Mosaic, Noise, PatternCycling, Pyro, Radar, Slideshow,
       Snow, Splines, Spot, Text, Tiles, Tunnel, Worms, Worms2

NEW FEATURES

     This is an all-new version of BlitzBlank. It's in almost
     every aspect enhanced and better, than the 1993-version
     1.01.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

     - AmigaOS 2.0 or better
     - MUI 2.3

AVAILABILITY

     FTP/Internet: AmiNet and mirrors

     ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/util/blank/BlitzBlank250.lha
     (main archive, 490780 bytes)

     ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/util/blank/BlitzBl250up1.lha
     (update 1, 19346 bytes)

     ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/util/blank/BlitzBl250up2.lha
     (update 2, 16273 bytes)

PRICE

     GIFT/CARD-ware (if the user WANTS to give something)

DISTRIBUTABILITY

     Freely distributable.
     Copyright 1993-1995 by Thomas Boerkel.
     Copyright of some modules by their respective authors.
@endnode
@node FTP4 "Conversion 0.9beta"
@toc FTP

Conversion 0.9beta

Conversion is a commodity that converts Metric units to English units or
vice versa.  Being a commodity, it is especially useful because you just
pop it up when you need it and hide it when you are done.

I thought up the idea because a lot of times I'm talking to other people
in different parts of the world, and they will tell me something like "I'm
1.8 Meters tall", and I will tell them "I'm 6 feet tall", leaving us both
slightly baffled, until we look it up in a book or something...  You may
find your own use for the program.  If you do, and you have suggestions on
how the program might better serve you, let me know.

REQUIREMENTS

  *  Any Amiga computer with KS2.04 or above.

EXTRA FEATURES

Conversion gives you the ability to cut the values you calculate into the
clipboard.

WHERE TO FIND 

Conversion can be found on any Aminet site (ie..  ftp.wustl.edu) ie..:

ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/cdity/Conversion0.9b.lha
ftp://ftp.cdrom.edu/pub/aminet/cdity/Conversion0.9b.lha
ftp://ftp.netnet.net/pub/aminet/cdity/Conversion0.9b.lha
(or the Aminet site nearest you)

IMPORTANT

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED AS-IS, WITHOUT WARRANTY EITHER EXPRESSED OR
IMPLIED.  IN NO EVENT WILL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT,
INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR LOSS OF DATA RESULTING FROM THE USE
OF THIS SOFTWARE.  THE RISK AS TO RESULTS AND PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE
IS ASSUMED ENTIRELY BY THE USER.

Conversion is shareware so if you like it, I would ask that you register
it by sending me $5 US or the equivalent in you own currency.  If you
register it you will get your very own registered copy of Conversion,
along with some cool printed out documentation.  Also you will receive any
updates I might make.  For $15 dollars I will make a customized program
that does whatever you need it to do...

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

E-mail to:  speed@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu

     US Snail:
                                Scott William Unger
                                5921 West Coldspring Road #5
                                Greenfield, WI  53220
                                USA

DOCS

If you are curious about Conversion, and would like to find out more
about it without downloading it, I have the docs in html format on the
web at:

http://www.uwm.edu/~speed/myprogdocs/Conversion

These docs were generated by Heddley v1.1 (C) by Edd Dumbill 1994
@endnode
@node FTP5 "ADtoHT R2"
@toc FTP5

TITLE

    ADtoHT, Release 2

VERSION

    2.0

AUTHOR

    Christian Stieber
         (Stieber@Informatik.TU-Muenchen.de)
         (Stieber@LEO.org)

DESCRIPTION

    This program is only useful for developers. If you don't write
    programs, there is no need for you to read on.

    This program converts autodocs and C header files to amigaguide,
    creating links. It is targeted at the system online docs; the
    include file parser is rather sketchy and will only handle
    a limited subset of ANSI/ISO C correctly.

    Compared to the Commodore utility AD2HT, ADtoHT has the
    following advantages (this list is not necessarily complete):
      - it converts both autodocs AND include files
      - it is smarter
      - the output looks better (IMHO)
      - I'm alive, Commodore is dead

    In addition to the converted files, a global table of contents and
        an AmigaGuide crossreference file can be created.

NEW FEATURES

    This is a completely new program that contains no code from
    the 1.3 release. You should delete ADtoHT 1.3 since it has
    many disadvantages and even some serious bugs.

    Release 2 is much better and has no (known) bugs. It is probably
    slower than release 1.3, though.

REQUIREMENTS

    AmigaOS 2.04 (V37) or later is of course required.
    AmigaOS 3.1  (V40) or later is strongly recommended, since it
      will speed up reading/writing considerably.

    You also need some autodocs and C header files -:)

HOST NAME

    Any Aminet site, for example:
    ftp://ftp.uni-paderborn.de/pub/aminet/text/hyper/ADtoHT2_0.lha (109947)

PRICE

    free

DISTRIBUTABILITY

    Freeware
@endnode
@node FTP6 "IFR 1.1 and TermComp 1.3"
@toc FTP

TITLE

    IFR        The Internet File Requester
    TermComp   The Term Companion

VERSION

    IFR       v1.1
    TermComp  v1.3

    Both never released before.

AUTHOR

    Mario Cannistra'

    e-mail   :   mario.cannistra@pmn.it
    Fidonet  :   2:334/21.16
    AmigaNet :   39:101/402.16

DESCRIPTION

- Have you many files to donwload from different sites each time
  you login ?
- Have you filled with post-it or other notes your monitor frame ?
- Do you forget all those dotted network names ?
- Do you use Term for interactive dial-out Internet connections ?
- Are you bored to type long commands ?
- Have you filled all the pfkeys definitions ?
- Want to use ARCHIE and get with some clicks of your mouse that
  particular file ?

Term + IFR + TermComp is the answer to your problems (I hope :-) ).

IFR : this program allows you to enter a complete file spec
(eg: host+path+filename) while you are reading a message in an offline
reader or while reading the documentation of another program or an FTP
link in an HTML document printed in a magazine. Simply run the program
(from CLI !) with an optional public screen name:  Default is Workbench
screen.

IFR operates as a stand alone utility but its output can be used
from TermComp, my other utility that speeds up a little the download
procedures giving you a special GUI superimposed to the Term one. This
program drives Term using its ARexx msgport : if you use other
communication software, please send in the Arexx documentation so that I
can consider writing a version of TermComp for you program.

(Term is the wonderful terminal emulation program by Olaf Olsen Bartel)

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

These programs use the gadtools.library for their gadgets and ARexx
to control Term.  They have been tested under OS 2.1 , 3.0 and 3.1 and
should run without problems on ANY Amiga with those OS versions.

IFR works as a stand alone program but its output can be fully used only by
TermComp. TermComp works only with Term installed.

AVAILABILITY

                          Now on aminet !
The URLs are :

 ftp://ftp.luth.se/pub/aminet/comm/misc/ifr11.lha       (21695 bytes)
 ftp://ftp.luth.se/pub/aminet/comm/misc/termcomp13.lha  (24999 bytes)

PRICES

Registration fees are :

   TermComp alone              : $25 (Lit. 25.000)
   IFR      alone              : $25 (Lit. 25.000)
   Package with both programs  : $40 (Lit. 40.000)

Registered users will receive the update patches free of charge.
The shareware fee includes the disk and mailing expenses.

DISTRIBUTABILITY

These programs are Copyrighted by Mario Cannistra`. All right reserved.
These programs are SHAREWARE.

The DEMO version can be included in Fred Fish collection and in any
cd-rom collection.  You are encouraged to spread the DEMO version.

The registered version has a serial number assigned to its unique owner
and cannot be distributed on any kind of support.

WHAT I THINK ABOUT SHAREWARE

I released one program (M2I) some time ago in the shareware concept and
received $ 0.00 , Lire 0 , DM 0.00 and so on...
This is my second trial.... probably the first program was not useful or
user friendly (M2I was a quick and dirty solution to my need of
obtaining Imagine object files about molecules).

To encourage the shareware concept, these programs have been compiled
without the important Save functions.
@endnode
@node FTP7 "KingFisher 2.9"
@toc FTP

[Well, I'm mostly kidding.  But it seems every issue I have to type in 
the new button for the new release...-Jason]

NAME
    KingFisher

VERSION
    2.9

SYNOPSIS
    An update to the PREMIER "Fish Disk" & CD-ROM software catalog
    maintenance and search tool available to all Amigas with KS2.04
    or later.  See PURPOSE section below for more details.

NEW FEATURES
    ----- KingFisher 2.9 ------------------------------------------
    Display formatting       - all promised features implemented!
    Display proportions      - adjusts gadgets to screen resolution!
    Prettier logo            - uses available display pens (KS 3.x)
    Gadget images            - bad use of 4th (blue) color fixed

    ----- KFServer 2.9 --------------------------------------------
    OnDisk index supported   - Potentially big reduction of RAM use
    Minor fixes              - VersionLinks & deleting; uptime

    ----- RexxFisher 2.9 ------------------------------------------
    Display formatting       - same fixes as with KingFisher 2.9

PURPOSE
    KingFisher is a tool specifically designed to maintain and
    search one or more databases for software.  The program permits
    manual browsing, but offers a powerful expression parser through
    which you can explain to KingFisher exactly what you are looking
    for.

    The layout of database records for display is programmable, as
    is the format used for printing and that for writing records to
    a file.  This permits complete customization, separately for
    each database.

    KingFisher uses a resizable GadTools window on the default
    public screen or on a custom screen, offers the choice of both
    smart and simple refresh windows, and supports proportional
    fonts (including scalable fonts) of nearly any size.

    KingFisher supports more than one database, and databases that
    are larger than a single disk volume, which are spread over any
    number of disks to be mounted on request.

    Using advanced Client-Server Technology, KingFisher supports
    multiple simultaneous users with a minimum of memory overhead
    (as little as 30K) for each user (an ARexx-based interface
    named RexxFisher provides a BBS with the means to serve many
    databases to many users!)  KingFisher's multi-user support in
    NO WAY hinders its value in a single-user environment!

    KingFisher is localized.  Catalogs are supplied for Dansk,
    Deutsch, Espanol, Nederlands, Suomi, and Svenska.  More are
    expected as translators are found (hint, hint!)

    Fully integrated AmigaGuide help provides context sensitive
    assistance and information on menu items and gadgets under
    the mouse pointer.  Hundreds of links cross-reference over
    150K of documentation.

    KingFisher comes with a complete, read-to-use database of
    descriptions for Fred's "Fish Disks" 1-1000!  The command
    "Install database..." helps adding existing databases from
    CD-ROM.

REQUIREMENTS
    With Fish Disk Database (1.5MB), approximately 2.2MB of harddisk
    space is needed.  The program requires about 300K of memory to
    run, depending on the size of the database index files and some
    other factors.  Kickstart V37 (2.04) is required; V38 (2.1) is
    required for localization.

COMPATIBILITY
    O/S:      Minimum KS V37 (2.04); V38 recommended; V39/V40 best!
    CPU:      68000 through 68040.  Untested on 68060.
    Display:  Picasso II, EGS Spectrum, CyberGraphics.

    Enforcer and Mungwall used during testing.

PRICE
    Shareware registration fee is $20(US) or DM30.  A registration
    site in Germany is available for European users.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------
    NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW
    ---------------------------------------------------------------
    USERS GROUPS and their members are eligible for a 20% discount!
    You must provide name and mailing address for your users group
    to be eligible for the discount price: $16(US) or DM24.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------

RESTRICTIONS
    The freely distributable, unregistered (EVALUATION) version is
    limited to a maximum of two simultaneous users.  Register for
    the full version and show your support!

AUTHOR & AUTHOR'S ADDRESS (inquiries, registration, technical support)
    Udo Schuermann
    6000 42nd Avenue, Apt. 405
    Hyattsville, MD 20781-1518
    USA

    email: walrus@wam.umd.edu

LOCATION
    A PATCH file for the REGISTERED version of KingFisher 2.1, 2.3,
    2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, and 2.8 (but not 2.2) is available on any
    Aminet site, for example:

    ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/biz/dbase/KF-REGS-pch-29.lha (659709)

    The EVALUATION version is also available on Aminet:

    ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/biz/dbase/KingFisher29.lha (849373)
@endnode
@node FTP8 "Rashumon 3.1"
@toc FTP

TITLE

     Rashumon - new student's version

VERSION

    Release 3.1 (5 Jan 95)

COMPANY

     HarmonySoft - Creative Software for Creative People
     Address: 69 Jabotinsky st. Givatayim 53319 ISRAEL
     Phone/Fax: +972 3 315 967. Email: harmony@ccsg.tau.ac.il
     Contact Michael Haephrati

AUTHOR

     Michael Haephrati      Email: harmony@ccsg.tau.ac.il

DESCRIPTION
     Multi-lingual graphic word processor. Supports languages written 
     from right to left as well as left to right.
     Can be used as a regular graphic word processor as well. Supports 
     graphics import and export, importing files from Mac and PC as well 
     as exporting.
     High quality printing.
     A table generator.

     *** Technical support using Internet ***

NEW FEATURES

     *   Keymaps can be edited externaly

     *   Much faster!

     *   New enhanced Print Requester.

     *   Full Postscript level 2 support (including 1.6m color and gray  
         scale support.

     *   You can change selection's text size to any size without 
         effecting the fonts it contains.

     *   You can change selection's fonts to a certain font without 
         effecting character's sizes.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

     Requires an Amiga with OS compatible with Workbench
     2.04 and a harddisk.

PRICE

     New price: $50.

DISTRIBUTABILITY

     Copyright (C) 1991-1994 HarmonySoft, All Rights Reserved.
@endnode
@node FTP9 "AXlife 1.2"
@toc FTP

TITLE

AXlife

VERSION

1.2

AUTHORS

David Kinder
Jon Bennett

DESCRIPTION

AXlife is a program to play the well known cellular automata,
life. AXlife is based upon the definitive life program, Xlife,
which runs on Unix X-Windows.

Features:

 o Unlike other life programs, AXlife does not limit the size
   of the cellular automata to the size of the screen. AXlife
   keeps a record of all active cells, allowing a maximum life
   pattern of 2^32 by 2^32 (2^32 is about 4,300,000,000).

 o Due to the calculation method used, the speed at which
   AXlife runs depends on the number of active cells, not the
   area of the whole life grid. This makes AXlife *much* faster
   than other life programs, especially for large patterns.

 o AXlife comes with loads (>200) of pattern files, showing
   all the interesting patterns that have been discovered.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Requires AmigaOS 2.04 or greater, and at least one megabyte of
contiguous free ram (i.e. as a single block of memory).

AVAILABILITY

AXlife is available on Aminet, e.g.

  ftp://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/pub/aminet/game/misc/axlife12.lha (206981)

PRICE

Free

DISTRIBUTABILITY

AXlife copyright 1995 David Kinder.
Xlife copyright 1989 Jon Bennett.
@endnode
@node FTP10 "XpkDisk 37.8c"
@toc FTP

TITLE

     XpkDisk

VERSION

     37.8c

AUTHOR

     Olaf 'Rhialto' Seibert <rhialto@mbfys.kun.nl>

DESCRIPTION

     `xpkdisk.device' is an exec-style device that looks like
     trackdisk.device and similar disks. The difference is that it
     compresses its data and stores it in multiple files in an existing
     filesystem.  It uses the XPK (eXternal PacKer) standard to do the
     actual compression.  This has many advantages.

     This aproach differs from compressing file systems: they compress
     on a per-file basis, and generally limit the maximum size of files
     that they can handle to the available memory.

NEW FEATURES

   * Version 37.8 works around a horrible bug that is really caused by
     XPK when track files are not compressible.  Look in the source
     file "devio.c" for details, near the symbol XPKBUG.

   * You can now change the XPKD: assign on the fly, if you're careful.

   * xdClear now works with the fake scsi.device, which does not seem to
     know about ETD_* commands.

   * Now keeps the old track file while writing a new one. The old
     track file is only deleted after successfully writing the new one.
     You have more control about what to do in such situations.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

     AmigaDOS 2.04 or better is required for some features to work.

     Xpk version 2.5 or better (available from Aminet sites as well).

     A hard disk, a fast processor and lots of RAM are highly
     recommended but not strictly necessary.

AVAILABILITY

     Aminet: util/pack/xpkDisk37_8c.lha, for instance

     ftp://ftp.luth.se/pub/aminet/util/pack/xpkDisk37_8c.lha

PRICE

     Free.    

DISTRIBUTABILITY

     Copyright 1995 by Olaf Seibert.
     The GNU General Public License applies.
@endnode
@node FTP11 "ProgArgs Library 1.2"
@toc FTP

TITLE

     ProgArgs Library - program argument parsing support

VERSION

     1.2

AUTHOR

     Dianne Hackborn

     E-mail: hackbod@mail.cs.orst.edu

DESCRIPTION

     ProgArgs is a shared library which is intended to make the handling
     of CLI, Workbench and text file arguments simpler and more consistent.
     It basically provides a wrapper around the DOS ReadArgs() function and
     the Workbench argument functions, which unifies them into one standard
     interface.  It also provides support for intelligently writing tool
     types back out to disk -- only modifying the relevant entries, creating
     comments for tool types which do not have a value, etc -- and provides
     for the reading and writing of text files which are formatted much like
     tool types.

     The library uses an argument definition format similar to the template
     style used by ReadArgs(), except it extends this to an array of
     structures, to include the additional information needed.  For example,
     to process the arguments "FILES/A/M,ALL/S" with the defaults "#?" and
     "no", a program would look something like this:

     #define FILES_ARG (TAG_ARGENTRY+1)
     #define ALL_ARG (TAG_ARGENTRY+2)

     struct MultiArg DefFiles[] = {
       { "#?", NULL, NULL },
       { NULL }
     };

     struct ArgEntry myEntries[] = {
       { FILES_ARG, "FILES/A/M", "Files to process",
         AEFLAG_DEFAULT, &DefFiles[0], NULL },
       { ALL_ARG, "ALL/S", "Recursively process files",
         AEFLAG_DEFAULT, FALSE, NULL },
       { TAG_END }
     };

     ...

     struct ProgArgs * myArgs;

     myArgs = AllocProgArgs(&myEntries[0],
            PA_WBStartup,       _WBenchMsg,  /* Hand in WB startup */
            RPA_WBArguments,    FILES_ARG,   /* Parse WB startup */
            PA_IgnoreError,     TRUE,        /* Don't fail on next err */
            RPA_ProgIcon,       !_WBenchMsg, /* If no WB startup, read */
                                             /* directly from icon */
            PA_IgnoreError,     FALSE,       /* Allow fail on next err */
            RPA_CmdInput,       TRUE,        /* Parse command line */
            TAG_END);

     if(!myArgs) exit(20);

     /* Retrieve program arguments */

     struct MultiArg* files;
     ULONG all_flag;

     GetProgArgs(myArgs, FILES_ARG,&files, ALL_ARG,&all_flag, TAG_END);

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

     OS 2.04 (V37) or greater; tested up to 3.1.
     No other software requirements.

     Only tested with SAS/C; no assembly language header files provided.

AVAILABILITY

     Available from Aminet, eg:
        
     ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/util/libs/progargs1_2.lha

     If you have WWW access, it can also be retrieved from my pages at
     http://www.cs.orst.edu/~hackbod/amiga/

PRICE

     Shareware.  A fee of $5 is asked for programmers using the
     library who would like more support than the documentation
     provided with it or to include the library binary in their own
     distributions.  There is no shareware fee for end-users.

DISTRIBUTABILITY

     Copyright (C) 1995 by Dianne Hackborn.

     Freely distributable as long as the contents of the archive
     are kept intact.
@endnode
@node MAILLIST "Amiga Report Mailing List"
@toc WHERE

===========================================================================
==                      Amiga Report Mailing List                        ==
===========================================================================

If you have an internet mailing address, you can receive Amiga Report in
@{"UUENCODED" link UUENCODE} form each week as soon as the issue is released.  To be put on
the list, send Email to jcompton@bbs.xnet.com and in the body of the
message ask nicely to be added to the list.

ie: Please add me to the mailing list for Amiga Report magazine.  My
     addresss is <your net address>.

Your account must be able to handle mail of any size to ensure an intact
copy.  For example, many systems have a 100K limit on incoming messages.


** IMPORTANT NOTICE:  PLEASE be certain your host can accept mail over   **
** 100K!  We have had a lot of bouncebacks recently from systems with a  **
** 100K size limit for incoming mail.  If we get a bounceback with your  **
** address in it, it will be removed from the list.  Thanks!             **


          *** The following is only for Australian readers!  ***

To circumvent the new pay-per-megabyte system for Australian Internet
communication, Paul Reece has been kind enough to set up an AUSTRALIAN-ONLY
mailing list, to save his fellow countrymen some money.

You can join the list by sending mail to:   majordomo@info.tas.gov.au

with the single line (in body of message):

subscribe ar

Amiga Report will then be bounced to you.
@endnode
@node UUENCODE
@toc MAILLIST

===========================================================================
==                        UUDecoding Amiga Report                        ==
===========================================================================

If you receive Amiga Report from the direct mailing list, it will arrive in
UUEncoded format.  This format allows programs and archive files to be sent
through mail by converting the binary into combinations of ASCII
characters.  In the message, it will basically look like a lot of trash
surrounded by begin <filename> and end, followed by the size of the file.


To UUDecode Amiga Report, you first need to get a UUDecoding program, such
as UUxT by Asher Feldman.  This program is available on Aminet in

     pub/aminet/arc/

Then you must download the message that it is contained in.  Don't worry
about message headers, the UUDecoding program will ignore them.

There is a GUI interface for UUxT, which should be explained in the docs.
However, the quickest method for UUDecoding the magazine is to type

     uuxt x ar.uu

at the command prompt.  You will then have to decompress the archive with
lha, and you will then have Amiga Report in all of its AmigaGuide glory.

If you have any questions, you can write to @{"Jason Compton" link JASON}

@endnode
@node AMINET "Aminet"
@toc WHERE

                                  Aminet
                                  ~~~~~~

To get Amiga Report from Aminet, simply FTP to any Aminet site, CD to
docs/mags.  All the back issues are located there as well.

Sites: ftp.netnet.net, ftp.wustl.edu, ftp.tas.gov.au, ftp.doc.ic.ac.uk

@endnode
@node WWW "World Wide Web"
@toc WHERE

                              World Wide Web
                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AR can also be read with Mosaic (in either AmigaGuide or html form). 
Reading AmigaReport with Mosaic removes the necessity to download it.  It
can also be read using programs found in UNIX sites such as LYNX.

Simply tell Mosaic to open one of the following URLs:

     http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mjw/Amiga/News/AR/
     http://sun1000.ci.pwr.wroc.pl/AMIGA/AR/
     http://mm.iit.uni-miskolc.hu/Data/AR

Amiga information can also be accessed at this URL:
http://www.prairienet.org/community/clubs/cucug/amiga.html

Mosaic for the Amiga can be found on Aminet in directory comm/net, or
(using anonymous ftp) on max.physics.sunysb.edu

Mosaic for X, Macintosh(tm) and Microsoft Windows(tm) can be found on
ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu
@endnode
@node COPYRIGHT "Copyright Information"
@toc ABOUT

===========================================================================
==                       _    _       __  ___    _                       ==
==                      /\\  |\\   /| || //  \  /\\                      ==
==                     /  \\ | \\ /|| ||(< __  /  \\                     ==
==                    /--- \\|  \/ || || \\_||/--- \\                    ==
==                   /______________________________\\                   ==
==                  /                                \\                  ==
==              Amiga Report International Online Magazine               ==
==                May 2, 1995             Issue No. 3.09                 ==
==                     Copyright 1995 FS Publications                    ==
==                           All Rights Reserved                         ==
===========================================================================

Views, Opinions and Articles presented herein are not necessarily those of
the editors and staff of Amiga Report International Online Magazine or of
FS Publications.  Permission to reprint articles is hereby granted, unless
otherwise noted.  Reprints must, _without exception_, include the name of
the publication, date, issue number and the author's name.  Amiga Report
and/or portions therein may not be edited in any way without prior written
permission.  However, translation into a language other than English is
acceptible, provided the editor is notified beforehand and the original
meaning is not altered.  Amiga Report may be distributed on privately owned
not-for-profit bulletin board systems (fees to cover cost of operation are
acceptable), and major online services such as (but not limited to) Delphi
and Portal.  Distribution on public domain disks is acceptable provided
proceeds are only to cover the cost of the disk (e.g.  no more than $5 US).
Distribution on for-profit magazine cover disks requires written permission
from the editor.  Amiga Report is a not-for-profit publication.  Amiga
Report, at the time of publication, is believed reasonably accurate.  Amiga
Report, its staff and contributors are not and cannot be held responsible
for the use or misuse of information contained herein or the results
obtained there from.  Amiga Report is not affiliated with Commodore-Amiga,
Inc., Commodore Business Machines, Ltd., or any other Amiga publication in
any way.  All items quoted in whole or in part are done so under the Fair
Use Provision of the Copyright Laws of the United States Penal Code.  Any
Electronic Mail sent to the editors may be reprinted, in whole or in part,
without any previous permission of the author, unless said electronic mail
is specifically requested not to be reprinted.

===========================================================================

@endnode
@node GUIDELINE "Amiga Report Writing Guidelines"
@toc ABOUT

===========================================================================
==                    Amiga Report Writing Guidelines                    ==
===========================================================================

The three most important requirements for submissions to Amiga Report are:

     1.  Please use English.

     2.  Please use paragraphs.  It's hard on the eyes to have solid
     screens of text.  If you don't know where to make a paragraph break,
     guess.

     3.  Please put a blank line in between paragraphs.  It makes
     formatting the magazine much much easier.

Note:  If you want to check ahead of time to make sure we'll print your
article, please write to the @{"Editor" link JASON}.

@endnode
@node EDITORCHOICE "Editor's Choice"
@toc COMMERCIAL

===========================================================================
==                            Editor's Choice                            ==
===========================================================================

These are selected products, reviewed by myself, that I've liked.

All prices are in $US.

Amiga OS 3.1, the official Village Tronic-published version:
(Since these are the Expert Services-distributed versions, I'm afraid I can
only sell them in North America)

For the 500/2000: $105

For the 3000/4000: $120
(works with 1200, but no PCMCIA support)

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

|                                | Issue    | Approximate  | Amiga Report |
|           Product              | Reviewed | Retail Price | Reader Price |
---------------------------------|----------|--------------|--------------|
|                                |          |              |              |
|Swifty 3-button mouse           |   2.28   |    $39.95    |    $22.75    |
|                                |          |              |              |
|GPFax Amiga Fax Software        |   2.30   |   $100.00    |    $60.00    |
|    (Class 1 and 2)             |          |              |              |
|                                |          |              |              |
|Micro R+D CD-ROM Volume 1       |   2.25   |    $69.00    |    $30.00    |
|    (Includes early Transition  |          |              |              |
|    graphics converter and loads|          |              |              |
|    of artwork)                 |          |              |              |
|                                |          |              |              |
|Micro R+D CD-ROM Volume 2       |   2.26   |    $99.95    |    $46.75    |
|    (Includes entire Nature's   |          |              |              |
|    Backdrop series)            |          |              |              |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Orders may be placed via check, money order, or postal cheque, made out to
Micro R+D.  Visa/Mastercard accepted via post or E-Mail.  No CODs.

Mail all orders to @{" Jason Compton " link JASON}.  Orders will be processed by
Amiga Report and drop-shipped from Micro R+D.

In the US, add $5/$10/$20 for UPS shipping, ground/blue/red label,
respectively.  Overseas: It is recommended that you consider $20 to be the
minimum cost for shipping.  If you plan to order more than one item, E-mail
for shipping cost.

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

Sidewinder's Future Shock II CD is now available through Amiga Report.
Featuring 15 Amiga-generated tunes totalling 71 minutes, Eric Gieseke's
work is captured on an Amiga-independent media.

Available for US$12.00.  Please add $5 for shipping.

Make check or money order payable to @{" Jason Compton " link JASON}.  Orders will be
drop-shipped from Sidewinder Productions.

For overseas orders, please contact through E-Mail before ordering.
@endnode
@node DELPHI "Delphi"
@toc ONLINE

===========================================================================
==       Delphi Internet Services -- Your Connection to the World!       ==
===========================================================================

Amiga Report International Online Magazine and the Amiga Report Coverdisk
are available in the Amiga SIG on DELPHI.  Amiga Report readers are invited
to join DELPHI and become a part of the friendly community of Amiga
enthusiasts there.

                          SIGNING UP WITH DELPHI
                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

       Using a personal computer and modem, members worldwide access
                  DELPHI services via a local phone call

                              JOIN -- DELPHI
                              --------------

                Via modem, dial up DELPHI at 1-800-695-4002
                               then...
                When connected, press RETURN once or twice
                                and..
              At Username: type JOINDELPHI and press RETURN,
              At Password: type AMIGAUSER and press RETURN.

                        For more information, call
                 DELPHI Member Services at 1-800-695-4005

                             SPECIAL FEATURES
                             ----------------

  * Complete Internet connection -- Telnet, FTP, IRC, Gopher, E-Mail and
       more!   (Internet option is $3/month extra)
  * SIGs for all types of computers  -- Amiga, IBM, Macintosh, Atari, etc.
  * An active Amiga SIG hosting conferances, Usenet, Latest wares, and
       FTP Gopher coming soon
  * Large file databases!
  * SIGs for hobbies, video games, graphics, and more!
  * Business and world news, stock reports, etc.
  * Grolier's Electronic Encyclopedia!

                DELPHI - It's getting better all the time!

@endnode
@node PORTAL "Portal"
@toc ONLINE

===========================================================================
==                Portal:  A Great Place For Amiga Users                 ==
===========================================================================

                The Portal Information Network's Amiga Zone

          The AFFORDABLE alternative for online Amiga information
          -------------------------------------------------------

Portal is the home of acclaimed Amiga Zone, a full-service online SIG
(Special Interest Group) for Amiga owners and users. We promise, and
WE DELIVER ongoing & aggressive Amiga support!

You can dial into Portal to access the Amiga Zone in many ways: direct
dial to our San Jose, CA high-speed modems (you pay for the phone call
if it's not local), or though any SprintNet or Compu$erve indial anywhere
(with a small hourly fee) or via the World-wide Internet "telnet"
program to portal.com (no hourly fee).

Even Delphi and BIX users can Telnet into Portal for a flat $19.95 a month,
with *unlimited* use.

Portal is NOT just another shell service!  Its Online system is fully
menu-driven with on-screen commands and help, and you can easily customize
it for your favorite terminal program and screen size.

Some of Portal/Amiga Zone's amazing features include:

 * 2.5 GIGabytes of Amiga-specific file space - we have so much Amiga Stuff
      online, we've lost count!
 * The *entire* Fred Fish collection of freely distributable software,
       online.  ALL 1000 disks!
 * Fast, Batch Zmodem file transfer protocol. Download up to 100 files at
      once, of any size, with one command.
 * Amiga vendor areas with participants like AmigaWorld, Elastic
      Reality (ASDG), Soft-Logik, Apex Publishing, and others.
 * 40 "regular" Amiga libraries with over 10,000 files.  Hot new stuff
       arrives daily.
 * No upload/download "ratios" EVER. Download as much as you want, as
      often as you want, and never feel pressured doing it.
 * Live, interactive nightly chats with Amiga folks whose names you will
      recognize.  Special conferences.  Random chance prize contests.  We
      have given away thousands of bucks worth of Amiga prizes - more than
      any other online service.
 * Message bases where you can ask questions about *anything* Amiga
      related and get quick replies from the experts.
 * Amiga Internet mailing lists for Imagine, AMosaic, LightWave, EGS,
      OpalVision & others feed right into the Zone message bases.  Read
      months worth of postings.  No need to clutter your mailbox with them.
 * FREE unlimited Internet Email with 5 meg of free storage.
 * A FREE UNIX Shell account with another 5 meg of free storage.
      You can run Amiga Mosaic through your shell and explore the
      vast World Wide Web!
 * Portal has the Usenet.  Thousands of "newsgroups" in which you can read
      and post articles about virtually any subject you can possibly
      imagine.
 * Other Portal SIGs (Special Interest Groups) online for Mac, IBM, Sun,
      UNIX, Science Fiction, Disney, and dozens more.  ALL Portal SIGs are
      accessible to ALL Portal customers with NO surcharges ever. You
      never worry "Ooops... Am I paying for this area?" again!
 * The entire UPI/Clarinet/Newsbytes news hierarchy ($4/month extra)  An 
      entire general interest newspaper and computer news magazine.
 * Portal was THE FIRST online service to offer a full package of Internet
      features: IRC, FTP, TELNET, MUDS, LIBS.  And you get FREE unlimited
      usage of all of them.
 * Our exclusive PortalX by Steve Tibbett, the graphical "front end" for
      Portal which will let you automatically click'n'download your waiting
      email, messages, Usenet groups and binary files!  Reply to mail and
      messages offline using your favorite editor and your replies are sent
      automatically the next time you log into Portal.  (PortalX requires
      Workbench 2.04 or higher)
 * Portal does NOT stick it to high speed modem users. Whether you log in
      at 1200 or 2400 or 9600 or 14.4K you pay the same low price.

To join Portal or for more information call:

   1-800-433-6444 (voice) 9a.m.-5p.m. Mon-Fri, Pacific Time
   1-408-973-9111 (voice) 9a.m.-5p.m. Mon-Fri, Pacific Time
   
   1-408-725-0561 (modem 3/12/2400) 24 hours every day
   1-408-725-0560 (modem 96/14400) 24 hours every day

   or enter "C PORTAL" from any Sprintnet dial-in, or "portal" at any
   CI$ network dialin, or telnet to "portal.com" from anywhere,
   and then enter "online" and then "info"

Call and join today.  Tell the friendly Portal Customer Service
representative, "The Amiga Zone and Amiga Report sent me!"

[Editor's Note: Be sure to tell them that you are an Amiga user, so they
can notify the AmigaZone sysops to send their Welcome Letter and other
information!]

The Portal Information Network accepts MasterCard, Visa, or you can pre-pay
any amount by personal check or money order.  The Portal Online System is a
trademark of The Portal Information Network.  SLIP, UUCP and custom domain
accounts are also available.
@endnode
@node GENIE "GEnie"
@toc ONLINE

===========================================================================
==              GEnie: Internet access, online games, more               ==
===========================================================================

* What is GEnie?

GEnie is a commercial on-line service that offers many services at a
reasonable monthly rate.  Some of the general services are:

     - Over 150,000 software files to download
     - Uploads to GEnie are free of any connect charges, so upload those
       Public Domain programs to add to the Starship Amiga Roundtable's
       vast selection of programs for free!
     - Real-time chat
     - Dozens of special-interest discussion areas
     - Challenging multi-player games with graphics (yes, there are Amiga
       front-ends)
     - Worldwide news, weather and sports
     - Electronic mail to and from the Internet
     - FTP Service which provides users with interactive access to any of
       the millions of files available for public access on the Internet
     - Usenet Newsgroups Service which allow users to participate in the
       global discussion areas collectively known as USENET
     - Outbound Telnet Service which enables users to connect to other host
       computers through the Internet
     - GEnie Mall with nearly 40 different vendors
     - Starship Amiga Roundtable which contains gigabytes of Amiga-only
       files
     - Commodore Roundtable for VIC-20, C-64, C-128 and other Commodore
       computers
     - Other Amiga software companies have their own Roundtables for
       customer support such as Soft-Logik where all the latest program
       patches and support files are available for their products
     - AmiAladdin Support Roundtable for getting the latest updates to the
       GEnie Aladdin software which is used to make maneuvering the GEnie
       menu system much easier and faster.  This is a specific area for the
       Amiga version of this software which is free of charge
     - Hundreds of other areas and services available

* How do I sigh up for GEnie?

You may sign up for GEnie service by one of two methods:

(1) Using your modem (8N1 half duplex 300/1200/2400 baud) dial
      1-800-638-8369.  Upon connection immediately enter HHH (Return),
      don't wait for any on-screen prompt.  At the U#= prompt type SIGNUP
      (Return).  You may use a major credit card account or your checking
      account (US only.)
(2) Call GEnie client services via voice at 1-800-638-9636 or
      1-301-251-6475 from outside the US and Canada.
@endnode
@node BBS_AUSTRALIA "Distribution BBSes - Australia"
@toc BBS

===========================================================================
==                    Distribution BBSes - Australia                     ==
===========================================================================

                              -=NEW ZEALAND=-

                             * BITSTREAM BBS *
               FidoNET 3:771/850.0   AmigaNET 41:644/850.0
             +64-(0)3-548-5321, SupraFaxModem 28k8 VFast Class


                                -=SYDNEY=-

                         * CONTINENTAL DRIFT BBS *
                 USENET, Internet E-mail, Fidonet, Aminet
                             (+61) 2 949 4256

@endnode
@node BBS_EUROPE "Distribution BBSes - Europe"
@toc BBS

===========================================================================
==                      Distribution BBSes - Europe                      ==
===========================================================================

                                -=FINLAND=-

                          * AMIGA-NIGHT-SYSTEM *
          InterNet: luumu@fenix.fipnet.fi   FidoNet: 2:220/550.0
                          +358-0-675840  V.32bis

                               * LAHO BBS *
       +358-64-414 1516, V.32bis/HST   +358-64-414 0400, V.32bis/HST
          +358-64-414 6800, V.32/HST   +358-64-423 1300, V.32bis

                         * MOONLIGHT SONATA DLG *
                           Fidonet: 2:221/112.0
                     +358-18-161763 - ZyXEL V32b 19200

                             * KINDERGARTEN *
                      Email: matthais.bartosik@hut.fi
                        +358-0-881 32 36, v.34/HST


                                -=FRANCE=-

                              * DYNAMIX BBS *
                        Email: erlsoft@mcom.mcom.fr
        +33.1.48.89.96.66 Minitel (vv23) to Modem (v32bis/Videotex)

                        * RAMSES THE AMIGA FLYING *
     Internet: user.name@ramses.fdn.org     Fidonet: 2/320/104-105-106
              +33-1-45845623 V.34     +33-1-53791200 V.32bis


                                -=GERMANY=-

                           * DOOM OF DARKNESS *
                      Email: marc_doerre@doom.ping.de
                    +49 (0)4223 8355 19200 V.42bis/Zyx
           AR-Infoservice, contact Kai Szymanski kai@doom.gun.de

                              * IMAGINE BBS *
                    Email: Sysop@imagine.commo.mcnet.de
                B+49-69-4304948 Yoriko 28.8ET V.Fast Class
              Login: GAST (Download from area "Amiga-Report")

                         * LEGUANS BYTE CHANNEL *
                    Usenet: andreas@lbcmbx.in-berlin.de
                49-30-8110060   49-30-8122442   USR DS 16.8
                 Login as User: "amiga", Passwd: "report"

                              * REDEYE BBS *
                       Internet: sysop@redeye.muc.de
               +49-89-5460535 (V.32b, Zyxel EG + / USR V.34)

                          * STINGRAY  DATABASE *
                 EMail: sysop@sting-db.zer.sub.org.dbp.de
                          +49 208 496807 HST-Dual

                            * VISION THING BBS *
             Infect East German HQ, Keks ASCII Design World HQ
                          ++49(0)345 663914 19200
                          System Password: Amiga


                                -=GREECE=-

                              * ODYSSEY BBS *
            email: konem@prometheus.hol.gr 2:410/128.17@fidonet
          +++ 301-412-3502 (ZyXEL 16.8K)   after 23:00 local time


                                -=IRELAND=-

                               * CUGI BBS *
                            Fidonet: 2:263/155
                          +353 1 837 0204 V32bis

                          * HIGHWAY TO HELL BBS *
                Fidonet 2:263/154   Internet: iblack@dit.ie
             Online from 22:00 - 08:00 GMT     +353-1-847 5217


                                 -=ITALY=-

                        * AMIGA PROFESSIONAL BBS *
                 Amy Professional Club, Italian Amos Club
                              +(39)-49-604488

                             * SPEED OF LIFE *
                 FidoNet 2:332/505     AmigaNet 39:102/501
               ZyX 19.2k/V32/V32bis/V42bis     +39-59-226454


                              -=NETHERLANDS=-

                       * AMIGA ONLINE BS HEEMSTEDE *
   Fidonet: 2:280/464.0, 2:280/412.0   Internet: michiel@aobh.xs4all.nl
                +31-23-282002   +31-23-470739   14400 Supra

                             * THE HELL BBS *
           Fido-Net : 2:281/418.0   e-mail : root@hell.xs4all.nl
                     +31-(0)70-3468783 (v32bis Supra)

                          * TRACE BBS GRONINGEN *
            FidoNET 2:282/529.0   Internet Martin@trace.idn.nl
               +31-(0)-50-410143 (14k4 Buad (28k8 V.34 soon)

                              * X-TREME BBS *
                      Internet: u055231@vm.uci.kun.nl
                            +31-167064414 (24h)


                                -=NORWAY=-

                              * FALLING BBS *
                       EMail:  christon@powertech.no
                            +47 69 256117 28.8k


                               -=PORTUGAL=-

                               * CIUA BBS *
                FidoNet 2:361/9   Internet: denise.ci.ua.pt
                  +351-34-382080/382081 (V32bis soon V34)


                                 -=SPAIN=-

                            * GURU MEDITATION *
                           Running Remote Access
                          +34-1-383-1317 V.32bis

                        * MAZAGON - BBS - SYSTEMS *
       E-mail: jgomez@maze.mazanet.es   FTP: ftp-mail@ftp.mazanet.es
                        +34 59 536267 - Supra 28.8
                              Login: a-report


                                -=SWEDEN=-

                                * CICERON *
                        E-mail: peman@solace.mh.se
                               +46 612 22011


                              -=SWITZERLAND=-

                          * LINKSYSTEM LINK-CH1 *
                   contact: rleemann@link-ch1.aworld.de
      +41 61 3215643 V32bis/Zyx16800     +41 61 3832007 ISDN X75/V110
                 Local newsgroup link-ch1.ml.amiga-report


                            -=UNITED KINGDOM=-

                           * AMIGA JUNCTION 9 *
        Internet: sysadmin@junct9.demon.co.uk     FidoNet: 2:440/20
                    +44 (0)372 271000 14400 V.32bis/HST

                             * CREATIONS BBS *
 E-Mail: mat@darkside.demon.co.uk   2:254/524@Fidonet   39:139/5@Amiganet
              +44-0181-665-9887 Hayes Optima 288 2400 - V.FC

                              * METNET CCS *
     Email: metnet@demon.co.uk    FidoNet: 2:2502/129.0  2:2502/130.0
           10 Lines: +44-1482-442251   14k4 +44-1482-444910 16k8

@endnode
@node BBS_NAMERICA "Distribution BBSes - North America"
@toc BBS

===========================================================================
==                  Distribution BBSes - North America                   ==
===========================================================================

                                -=ARIZONA=-

                       * MESSENGER OF THE GODS BBS *
                           mercury@primenet.com
                               602-326-1095


                           -=BRITISH COLUMBIA=-

                             * COMM-LINK BBS *
               InterNet: steve_hooper@comm.tfbbs.wimsey.com
  Fido: 1:153/210.0    AmigaNet 40:800/9100.0    604-945-6192 USR DS 16.8


                              -=CALIFORNIA=-

                            * MYSTIC CAVERNS *
         E-mail: roy@ctsnet.cts.com     WWW: http://ramiga.cts.com
                (619)442-7030  14.4     (619)442-7060  28.8

                            * TIERRA-MIGA BBS *
  FidoNet: 1:202/638.0   AmigaNet: 40:406/3.0   Internet: torment.cts.com
                           619.292.0754 V32.bis

                            * VIRTUAL PALACE BBS *
                     Sysop Email: tibor@ecst.csuchico.edu
                                916-343-7420

                        * AMIGA AND IBM ONLY BBS *
                               (619)428-4887
                           vonmolk@crash.cts.com
                       AmigaNET address: 40:406/7.0


                                -=FLORIDA=-

                            * LAST! AMIGA BBS *
                              (305) 456-0126
                             USR 21600 HST D/S


                               -=ILLINOIS=-

                           * EMERALD KEEP BBS *
                 FidoNet: 1:2250/2     AmigaNet: 40:206/1
                      618-394-0065 USR 16.8k DS

                            * PHANTOM'S LAIR *
  FidoNet: 1:115/469.0   Phantom Net Coordinator: 11:1115/0.0-11:1115/1.0
                         708-469-9510 708-469-9520

                            * STARSHIP CUCUG *
                       Email: khisel@prairienet.org
                               (217)356-8056

                         * THE STYGIAN ABYSS BBS *
                            FIDONet-1:115/384.0
  312-384-0616 USR Courier HST   312-384-6250 Supra V.32 bis (FREQ line)


                               -=LOUISIANA=-

                             * The Catacomb *
                        E-mail: Geoff148@delphi.com
                       504-882-6576 Supra v.fc 28.8k


                                 -=MAINE=-

                     * THE KOBAYASHI ALTERNATIVE BBS *
          Usenet and FidoNet Echo Areas     FidoNet: 1:326/404.0
                     (207)/784-2130     (207)/946-5665


                                -=MEXICO=-

                               * AMIGA BBS *
                             FidoNet  4:975/7
                        (5) 887-3080   9600 V32,MNP

                           * AMIGA SERVER BBS *
                         Now with 17 CDs available
                              Number: 5158736


                              -=MISSISSIPPI=-

                            * THE GATEWAY BBS *
        InterNet: stace@tecnet1.jcte.jcs.mil   FidoNet: 1:3604/60.0
                    601-374-2697 Hayes Optina 28.8 V.FC


                               -=MICHIGAN=-

                   * DC ProNet running Cnet Amiga 3.0+ *
                               616-373-0287
                               V.Everything
                             chetw@dcpro.UUCP


                               -=MONTREAL=-

                              * GfxBase BBS*
       E-mail: ai257@freenet.hsc.colorado.edu     Fidonet: 1:167/192
                             514-769-0565 14.4


                              -=NEW JERSEY=-

                          * T.B.P.  VIDEO SLATE *
              Full Skypix menus + normal and ansi menu sets.
                         201-586-3623 USR 14.4 HST

                           * DLTACOM Amiga BBS *
                              (201) 398-8559
                           Fidonet: 1:2606/216.0
             Internet: dltacom.camphq.fidonet.org (email only)


                               -=NEW YORK=-

                             * THE BELFRY(!) *
                         stiggy@dorsai.dorsai.org
                       718.793.4796     718.793.4905


                                -=ONTARIO=-

                           * COMMAND LINE BBS *
                Canada's Amiga Graphics & Animation Source
                             416-533-8321 V.32

                         * REALM OF TWILIGHT BBS *
  Usenet: realm.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca    FIDO: 1:221/302    Fish: 33:33/8
            519-748-9365 (2400 baud)     519-748-9026 (v.32bis)


                               -=TENNESSEE=-

                            * AMIGA CENTRAL! *
                  Internet mail:  root@amicent.raider.net
                   615-383-9679  1200-14.4Kbps V.32bis

                               * NOVA BBS *
    AmigaNet 40:210/10.0 40:210/1.0 40:210/0.0     FidoNet 1:362/508.0
                         615-472-9748 USR DS 16.8


                              -=WASHINGTON=-

                          * FREELAND MAINFRAME *
                       Internet - freemf.eskimo.com
         206-438-1670 Supra 2400zi     206-456-6013 Supra v.32bis

                              * PIONEERS BBS *
                            FidoNet: 1:343/54.0
                     206-775-7983 Supra 14.4k v32.bis
              Login: Long Distance     Password: longdistance

@endnode
@node BBS_SAMERICA "Distribution BBSes - South America"
@toc BBS

===========================================================================
==                  Distribution BBSes - South America                   ==
===========================================================================

                                -=BRAZIL=-

                            * AMIGA DO PC BBS *
          Fidonet: 4:801/44     Internet: fimoraes@dcc.unicamp.br
     Weekdays: 19-07 (-3 GMT)   Weekends: 24 hours     +55-192-33-2260

@endnode
@node DEAL_ASIA "Dealers - Asia"
@toc DEALER

===========================================================================
==                            Dealers - Asia                             ==
===========================================================================

                                 -=JAPAN=-

                           Grey Matter Ltd.
                         1-22-3,Minami Magome
                      HillTop House 2F suite 201
                          Ota-ku,Tokyo 143
             Tel:+81 (0)3 5709-5549     Fax:+81 (0)3 5709-1907
   BBS: +81 (0)3 5709-1907    Email: nighty@gmatter.japan-online.or.jp

@endnode
@node DEAL_EUROPE "Dealers - Europe"
@toc DEALER

===========================================================================
==                           Dealers - Europe                            ==
===========================================================================

                                -=BELGIUM=-

                               CLICK!  N.V.
                            Boomsesteenweg 468
                        B-2610 Wilrijk - Antwerpen
           VOICE: +32 (0)3 828.18.15     FAX: +32 (0)3 828.67.36
           INTERNET: vanhoutv@nbre.nfe.be      FIDO: 2:292/603.9


                                -=FINLAND=-

                              DataService Oy
                               P.O.  Box 50
                            Kuurinniityntie 30
                                02771 ESPOO
          Voice: +358 (9) 400 438 301     Fax: +358 (9) 0505 0037


                                -=GERMANY=-

                    dcp, desing+commercial partner GmbH
                               Alfredstr.  1
                              D-22087 Hamburg
                 Tel.: + 49 40 251176 Fax: +49 40 2518567
                 EMail: info@dcp.de WWW: http://www.dcp.de

                          Hartmann & Riedel GdbR
                               Hertzstr.  33
                            76287 Rheinstetten
      Voice (answering machine) - 07242-2021 Fax - ask for the number
  Please call first before visiting us.  Otherwise it is likely that you
                     stand in front of a closed door.

                             Hirsch & Wolf OHG
                              Mittelstra_e 33
                              D-56564 Neuwied
            Voice: +49 (2631) 8399-0   Fax: +49 (2631) 8399-31

                           Pro Video Elektronik
                                Roßmarkt 38
                           D-63739 Aschaffenburg
                 Tel: (49) 6021 15713 Fax: (49) 6021 15713


                                 -=SPAIN=-

                               Amiga Center
                               Argullós, 127
                              08016 Barcelona
                Tel: (93) 276 38 06     Fax: (93) 276 30 80

                           Amiga Center Alicante
                                Segura, 27
                              03004 Alicante
                            Tel: (96) 514 37 34

                        Centro Informático Boadilla
                                Convento, 6
                     28660 Boadilla del Monte (Madrid)
                Tel: (91) 632 27 65     Fax: (91) 632 10 99

                                Centro Mail
                            Tel: (91) 380 28 92

                                  C.R.E.
                             San Francisco, 85
                          48003 Bilbao (Vizcaya)
                Tel: (94) 444 98 84     Fax: (94) 444 98 84

                               Donosti Frame
                           Avda.  de Madrid, 15
                      20011 San Sebastián (Guipuzcoa)
                Tel: (943) 42 07 45     Fax: (943) 42 45 88

                                 GaliFrame
                           Galerías Príncipe, 22
                             Vigo (Pontevedra)
                Tel: (986) 22 89 94     Fax: (986) 22 89 94

                                 Invision
                             San Isidro, 12-18
                     28850 Torrejón de Ardoz (Madrid)
              Tel: (91) 676 20 56/59     Fax: (91) 656 10 04

                                 Invision
                               Salamanca, 53
                              46005 Valencia
              Tel: (96) 395 02 43/44     Fax: (96) 395 02 44

                                  Norsoft
                                Bedoya, 4-6
                               32003 Orense
                Tel: (988) 24 90 46     Fax: (988) 23 42 07

                                 PiXeLSOFT
                              Felipe II, 3bis
                              34004 Palencia
                Tel: (979) 71 27 00     Fax: (979) 71 28 28

                                 Tu Amiga
                             Plaza Pedro IV, 3
                       08120 La LLagosta (Barcelona)
                Tel: (93) 560 76 12     Fax: (93) 560 76 12

                                  vb soft
                               Provenza, 436
                              08025 Barcelona
                Tel: (93) 456 15 45     Fax: (93) 456 15 45


                                -=NORWAY=-

                             DataKompaniet ANS
                             Pb 3187 Munkvoll
                             N-7002 Trondheim
         VOICE/FAX: 72 555 149     Internet: torrunes@idt.unit.no

                                 AmiSys32
                                  PB 540
                                4501 Mandal
                     Voice/Fax: 38260015 BBS:Coming...


                            -=UNITED KINGDOM=-

                           Almathera Systems Ltd
                Southerton House / Boundary Business Court
                             92-94 Church Road
                         Mitcham, Surrey / CR4 3TD
            VOICE: (UK) 081 687 0040     FAX: (UK) 081 687 0490
 Sales: almathera@cix.compulink.co.uk     Tech: jralph@cix.compulink.co.uk

                        Brian Fowler Computers Ltd
                           11 North St / Exeter
                              Devon / EX4 3QS
               Voice: (0392) 499 755     Fax: (0392) 423 480
                Internet: brian_fowler@cix.compulink.co.uk

                                 CYNOSTIC
        Office O1, Little Heath Industrial Estate / Old Church Road
                            Coventry / CV6 7NB
             Tel: +44 (0)203 681687     Fax: +44 (0)203 638508
               David Cassidy email: bsupa@csv.warwick.ac.uk


                            VISAGE COMPUTERS
                        18 Station Road / Ilkeston
                           Derbyshire / DE7 8TD
        Tel/Fax: +44 (0)602 444501     Internet: floyd@demon.co.uk

@endnode
@node DEAL_NAMERICA "Dealers - North America"
@toc DEALER

===========================================================================
==                        Dealers - North America                        ==
===========================================================================

                                -=CANADA=-

                           Atlantis Kobetek Inc.
                           1496 Lower Water St.
                           Halifax, NS / B3J 1R9
               Phone: (902)-422-6556     Fax: (902)-423-9339
                      E-mail: aperusse@ra.isisnet.com

                           Computerology Direct
                             Powell River, BC
                                  V8A-4Z3
               Call 24 hrs.  orders/inquiries: 604/483-3679
          Amiga users ask for HEAD SALES REP for quicker response!

                        Comspec Communications Inc
                              74 Wingold Ave
                     Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6B 1P5
 Computer Centre: (416) 785-8348  Sales: (416) 785-3553  Fax: 416-785-3668
      Internet: bryanf@comcorp.comspec.com, bryanf@accesspt.north.net

                         GfxBase Electronique, Inc
                              1727 Shevchenko
                             Montreal, Quebec
                  Voice: 514-367-2575   Fax: 514-367-5265
                             BBS: 514-769-0565

                              National Amiga
                             Oakville, Ontario
              Fax: 905-845-3295   EMail: gscott@interlog.com
    World Wide Web: http://www.interlog.com/~gscott/NationalAmiga.html

                        Oby's Amigo Computing Shop
                             765 Barrydowne Rd
                     Sudbury, Ontario, Canada P3A-3TG
                         VOICE/FAX: (705)524-5826
                    All Amiga Computer Store Since 1990

                           Wonder Computers Inc.
                             1315 Richmond Rd.
                      Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2B 8J7
                 Voice: 613-596-2542     Fax: 613-596-9349
                            BBS:  613-829-0909


                             -=UNITED STATES=-

                               A&D Computer
                               211 South St.
                          Milford, NH 03055-3743
                Voice/Fax: 603-672-4700   BBS: 603-673-2788
                         Internet: amiga@mv.mv.com

                                AmegaByte!
                             5001 Garrett Ave.
                           Beltsville, MD 20705
              VOICE: (800) 834-7153   VOICE: (301) 937-1640
             FAX: (301) 937-1658     INTERNET: amega@globe.net

                           Amigability Computers
                               P.O.  Box 572
                           Plantsville, CT 06479
                            VOICE: 203-276-8175
                         Internet: caldi@pcnet.com

                              Amiga-Crossing
                           176 Gray Road, Unit 5
                           Cumberland, ME 04021
        VOICE: (800) 498-3959 (Maine only)   VOICE: (207) 829-3959
     FAX: (207) 829-3522   Internet: ewhite42@portland.caps.maine.edu

                           Amiga Video Solutions
                           1568 Randolph Avenue
                            St.  Paul, MN 55105
                 Voice: 612-698-1175     Fax: 612-224-3823
           BBS: 612-698-1918     Net: wohno001@maroon.tc.umn.edu

                          Applied Multimedia Inc.
                              89 Northill St.
                            Stamford, CT 06907
                           VOICE: (203) 348-0108

                            Apogee Technologies
                          1851 University Parkway
                            Sarasota, FL 34243
                            VOICE: 813-355-6121
            Portal: Apogee     Internet: Apogee@cup.portal.com

                            Armadillo Brothers
                            753 East 3300 South
                           Salt Lake City, Utah
          VOICE: 801-484-2791     Internet: B.GRAY@genie.geis.com

                             Computer Concepts
                   18001 Bothell-Everett Hwy, Suite "0"
                             Bothell, WA 98012
                           VOICE: (206) 481-3666

                               Computer Link
                              6573 middlebelt
                           Garden City MI 48135
                 Voice: 313-522-6005     Fax: 313-522-3119
                         clink@m-net.arbornet.org

                       Computers International, Inc.
                             5415 Hixson Pike
                           Chattanooga, TN 37343
                            VOICE: 615-843-0630

                              DC Productions
                          218 Stockbridge Avenue
                            Kalamazoo, MI 49001
                       (616)373-1985   (800)9DC-PROD
                          Chet Wisniewski - Owner

                               Digital Arts
                            122 West 6th Street
                           Bloomington, IN 47404
                VOICE: (812)330-0124     FAX: (812)330-0126
                                BIX: msears

                           Finetastic Computers
                           721 Washington Street
                            Norwood, MA  02062
                 VOICE: 617-762-4166     BBS: 617-769-3172
     Fido: 1:101/322     Internet: FinetasticComputers@cup.portal.com

                               HT Electronics
                         275 North Mathilda Avenue
                           Sunnyvale, CA  94086
                 VOICE: 408-737-0900     FAX: 408-245-3109
    Portal: HT Electronics     Internet: HT Electronics@cup.portal.com

                           Industrial Video, Inc.
                           1601 North Ridge Rd.
                             Lorain, OH  44055
         VOICE: 800-362-6150, 216-233-4000     Contact: John Gray
                  Internet:  af741@cleveland.freenet.edu

                            Kipp Visual Systems
                          360-C Christopher Ave.
                          Gaithersburg Md, 20878
                               301-670-7906
                           kipp@rasputin.umd.edu

                                Magic Page
                            3043 Luther Street
                          Winston-Salem, NC 27127
          Voice/Fax: 910-785-3695   E-mail: Spiff@cup.portal.com
                          Contact: Patrick Smith

                                MicroSearch
                        9000 US 59 South, Suite 330
                              Houston, Texas
                 VOICE: 713-988-2818     FAX: 713-995-4994

                          Mr. Hardware Computers
                      P.O.  Box 148 / 59 Storey Ave.
                          Central Islip, NY 11722
                 VOICE: 516-234-8110     FAX: 516-234-8110
                         A.M.U.G. BBS:  516-234-6046

                         OverByte Industries, Inc.
                       661 Blanding Blvd.  Suite 391
                        Orange Park, FL 32073-5048
            Voice: 904-858-3348   E-mail: overbyte@jax.gttw.com
          URL: http://www.jkcg.com/Webmaster/Overbyte/index.html

                              PSI Animations
                         17924 SW Pilkington Road
                          Lake Oswego, OR  97035
                           VOICE:  503-624-8185
                     Internet:  PSIANIM@agora.rain.com

                          Raymond Commodore Amiga
                            898 Raymond Avenue
                         St. Paul, MN   55114-1521
                 VOICE: 612.642.9890     FAX: 612.642.9891

                           Software Plus Chicago
                         2945 W Peterson Suite 209
                             Chicago, Illinois
                           VOICE:  312-878-7800

                                Zipperware
                             76 South Main St.
                           Seattle, WA  98104
                 VOICE: 206-223-1107     FAX: 206-223-9395
                   E-Mail: slick@starbug.cyberquest.com

@endnode
@node OPINION "Editorial and Opinion"
@toc MENU

===========================================================================
==                         Editorial and Opinion                         ==
===========================================================================

@{"  compt.sys.editor.desk " link EDITORIAL}  What's on my mind...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   @{"  News  " link NEWS}  @{"  Articles  " link FEATURE}  @{"  Reviews  " link REVIEW}  @{"  Announce  " link FTP}  @{"  Adverts  " link COMMERCIAL}
@endnode
@node NEWS "News & Press Releases"
@toc MENU
===========================================================================
==                         News & Press Releases                         ==
===========================================================================

@{" AmigaOS Project Information " link NEWS1}  How to get it

@{"       Dream State CD        " link NEWS2}  Newly released

@{"     CEI Fax to Dealers      " link NEWS3}  Back to distribution...

@{" CrossDOS Version 6 Upgrade  " link NEWS4}  New and improved features

@{"   Commodore UK Situation    " link NEWS5}  Sell out or liquidate...

@{"     Escom Press Release     " link NEWS6}  Translated from German

@{"     Escom Press Release     " link NEWS7}  Reuters Info. Services Release

@{"  fMSX Amiga 0.4 Available   " link NEWS8}  An MSX emulator for the Amiga

@{"    Imagemaster R/t 1.60     " link NEWS9}  New special effects

@{"  IPISA '95 Call for Papers  " link NEWS10}  Submit papers now

@{"  LIGHT-ROM 2 Now Shipping   " link NEWS11}  350 megs of new data

@{"    Pirated ROM Chips II     " link NEWS12}  Stay on guard

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 @{"  Opinion  " link OPINION}  @{"  Articles  " link FEATURE}  @{"  Reviews  " link REVIEW}  @{"  Announce  " link FTP}  @{"  Adverts  " link COMMERCIAL}
@endnode
@node FEATURE "Featured Articles"
@toc MENU

===========================================================================
==                           Featured Articles                           ==
===========================================================================

@{"      Q & A       " link FEATURE1}  You've got the questions... and answers...

@{" A1000 Spec Sheet " link FEATURE2}  A bit of nostalgia

@{" C= Auction Conf. " link FEATURE3}  Auction Conference on IRC

@{"    Open Letter   " link FEATURE4}  DirOpus5's author speaks on piracy

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   @{"  Opinion  " link OPINION}  @{"  News  " link NEWS}  @{"  Reviews  " link REVIEW}  @{"  Announce  " link FTP}  @{"  Adverts  " link COMMERCIAL}
@endnode
@node REVIEW "Reviews"
@toc MENU

===========================================================================
==                                Reviews                                ==
===========================================================================

@{"      Kingpin      " link REVIEW1}  Bowling.  Not soccer.

@{"      Netrek       " link REVIEW2}  Trekkin' with AmiTCP

@{" A2410 TIGA Board  " link REVIEW3}  Graphics card and EGS environment

@{" Emulation Rambler " link REVIEW4}  PC-Task 3.1's in the ground...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   @{"  Opinion  " link OPINION}  @{"  News  " link NEWS}  @{"  Articles  " link FEATURE}  @{"  Announce  " link FTP}  @{"  Adverts  " link COMMERCIAL}
@endnode
@node FTP "FTP and Product Announcements"
@toc MENU

===========================================================================
==                     FTP and Product Announcements                     ==
===========================================================================

@{"      Aminet Charts       " link CHARTS1} Aminet Charts for April 16

@{"      Aminet Charts       " link CHARTS2} Aminet Charts for April 23

@{"      Aminet Charts       " link CHARTS3} Aminet Charts for April 30


@{"      RARS R2 (v.45)      " link FTP1}  AI competition

@{"     ToolManager 2.1a     " link FTP2}  Add docks and menu items

@{"     BlitzBlank 2.50      " link FTP3}  Modular screenblanking

@{"    Conversion 0.9beta    " link FTP4}  Metric<->English commodity

@{"        ADtoHT R2         " link FTP5}  Convert autodocs/headers to .guide

@{" IFR 1.1 and TermComp 1.3 " link FTP6}  Keep your online sessions organized

@{"      KingFisher 2.9      " link FTP7}  I am tired of new KingFisher versions.

@{"       Rashumon 3.1       " link FTP8}  Multi-lingual word processing

@{"        AXlife 1.2        " link FTP9}  More fascinating "life" simulation

@{"      XpkDisk 37.8c       " link FTP10}  Floppy compression with XPK.

@{"    ProgArgs Lib 1.2      " link FTP11}  A wrapper around ReadArgs().

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   @{"  Opinion  " link OPINION}  @{"  News  " link NEWS}  @{"  Articles  " link FEATURE}  @{"  Reviews  " link REVIEW}  @{"  Adverts  " link COMMERCIAL}
@endnode
@node ABOUT "About AMIGA REPORT"
@toc MENU

===========================================================================
==                          About AMIGA REPORT                           ==
===========================================================================

@{"        AR Staff         " link STAFF} The Editors and writers

@{"   Writing Guidelines    " link GUIDELINE} What you need to do to write for us

@{"  Copyright Information  " link COPYRIGHT} The legal stuff
@endnode
@node STAFF "The Staff"
@toc ABOUT

===========================================================================
==                               The Staff                               ==
===========================================================================

               Editor:               @{" Jason Compton    " link JASON}

               Senior Editor:        @{" Robert Niles     " link ROBERT}

               Assistant Editor:     @{" Katherine Nelson " link KATIE}

               Games Editor:         @{" Sean Caszatt     " link SEAN}
@endnode
@node WHERE "Where to Get AR"
@toc MENU

===========================================================================
==                            Where to Get AR                            ==
===========================================================================

                         @{"   The AR Mailing List   " link MAILLIST}

                         @{"         Aminet          " link AMINET}

                         @{"     World Wide Web      " link WWW}

                         @{"   Distribution Sites    " link BBS}

                         @{"   Commercial Services   " link ONLINE}
@endnode
@node BBS "Distribution Sites"
@toc WHERE

===========================================================================
==                      Where to find Amiga Report                       ==
===========================================================================

                          Arranged by Continent:

                          @{"    Australia    " link BBS_AUSTRALIA}

                          @{"     Europe      " link BBS_EUROPE}

                          @{"  North America  " link BBS_NAMERICA}

                          @{"  South America  " link BBS_SAMERICA}


Sysops: To have your name added, please send @{"Email", link JASON} with the BBS name,
its location (Country, province/state) your name, any internet/fidonet
addresses, and the phone number of your BBS
@endnode
@node DEALER "Dealer Directory"
@toc MENU

===========================================================================
==                           Dealer Directory                            ==
===========================================================================

                          Arranged by Continent:

                          @{"      Asia       " link DEAL_ASIA}

                          @{"     Europe      " link DEAL_EUROPE}

                          @{"  North America  " link DEAL_NAMERICA}


Dealers: To have your name added, please send @{"Email", link JASON} with the name,
address, phone, and net address (if available) of your establishment.
@endnode
@node ONLINE "Commercial Online Services"
@toc COMMERCIAL

===========================================================================
==                      Commercial Online Services                       ==
===========================================================================

   @{"   Delphi   " link DELPHI}  Getting better all the time.

   @{"   Portal   " link PORTAL}  A great place for Amiga users.

   @{"   GEnie    " link GENIE}  Internet access, online games, more.
@endnode
 