i/o board

We wish we could personally answer every letter from our readers, but ANTIC Magazine and CompuServe ANTIC ONLINE receive far too much mail to make this possible. Our priority must be to answer in print (and online) questions that are of greatest interest to a significant number of readers!

600XL EXTINCTION?

As a concerned owner of the 600XL, I'd like to know what happened to it. Will there be a 64K expansion module from Atari? I hope Atari doesn't forget the thousands of 600XL owners.
Steve Bowen
Penobscot, MA
Although Atari is not planning to produce more 600XL's, it is not a totally extinct machine. With the 64K expansion module, available from Microbits Peripheral Products, it is a viable computer. In fact, we use one daily at Antic.
-ANTIC ED

SYNCALC MARCHES ON

I want to congratulate you on the February article about taxes and SynCalc. The template was so useful that I adapted it for state and local taxes as well.
N. Clark
Lansing, MI
Thank you for the kudos. Antic is currently looking for more SynCalc templates. We'd like to see templates for Adjustable Rate Mortgages and for Long Distance Phone Service Cost comparisons. If you have such, please send it on a disk along with a short note about your finance credentials. -ANTIC ED

SOFTWARE REBATE

Datasoft recently informed us of a special rebate they're offering through August 31, 1985. Specially marked software packages will include $5 rebate coupons. The software in the offer includes Bruce Lee, Conan, Dallas Quest, PacMan, Dig Dug, Pole Position, Mr. Do, Zaxxon, Letter Wizard.

ATARI AMNESIA

While playing SSI's Computer Baseball on my 800XL, I got an Error 2 (memory insufficient) on line 705 every time I brought in a relief pitcher. I ran the Atari self-diagnostic memory test and found that only 40 of the 48 little boxes appeared and turned green. Can you help?
Dennis Possi
Singapore

We don't know why this program is filling your memory, but you might try the memory diagnostic with the disk drive turned off and BASIC disabled. BASIC uses 8K, as does DOS. Either of these could account for your missing boxes.
-ANTIC ED

BEATING BRUCE LEE

Have you people out there got the blues about Bruce Lee? All I ever hear about Bruce Lee are complaints about the long introduction. Didn't anyone ever hear about the [SPACE] key? It's the long, skinny key at the bottom of the keyboard. Press it, and BINGO! the introduction ends.
Also, if you find that you don't have enough "free guys", then when you get to the room where you get the first free, keep running in and out of the room and frees will appear the first five times you do this.
Evan Gold
Brooklyn, NY

We assure you that Antic pressed the [SPACE] bar and everything else on the Atari keyboard not once but many times in our vain attempt to escape from Bruce Lee's smiling face. Apparently you are lucky enough to own a later version of the game which allows you to avoid the introduction. Wanna trade ?-ANTIC ED

SPINNAKER RESPONDS

This letter from the chairman of Spinnaker Software came in response to the May 1985 Antic editorial recommending that readers write to software companies that don't convert hit programs for the Atari. -ANTIC ED

I would like to clarify a few of the issues surrounding software development for the Atari.
   The decision of which machines to support with software is never simple. Before bringing a new title to market, we weigh the growth factors (how well will the machine sell?), the market factors (will those owners be interested in our software?), and the economic factors (how much will it cost us to develop a title for that machine?).
   I can assure you that the decision is one of the most difficult we face in developing software, and it is never made lightly.
   With this year's introduction of the new Atari machines, the decision takes a new turn. We are talking, right now, with Atari about developing products for the new Atari machines. Such develoment would make it more economically feasible to support both ends of the Atari line.
   I would like Antic readers to know that we at Spinnaker do understand their needs, and that we're working hard to provide them with the best product on the market. We have, in the past, supported all of our customers with a wide variety of exciting new titles every year, and we will continue to do so.
   Please encourage your readers to write. We always appreciate our customers' interest.
William Bowman
Chairman, Spinnaker Software

THE FORTH DIMENSION

The FORTH Interest Group (you guessed it, FIG) recently announced its author recognition program. For more information on this 4,800-member non-profit organization, contact FIG's hotline, (415) 962-8653, or write to them at P.O. Box 1105, San Carlos, CA 94070.

JUNE ANTIC ONLINE

Exclusive CES Coverage

Type GO ANTIC when you log onto CompuServe in June, and you'll be able to read our on-the-spot bulletins direct from the Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago-with all the details about the new Atari products being showcased.
   Not only that, you will also find an extensive preview of our ground-breaking August TeleComputer issue. You'll see descriptions-or even actual excerpts-from upcoming August articles that are must reading for anybody who uses a modem (or who plans to start using one).
   For example, HomeTerm programmer Russ Wetmore tells you how to get more power out of the inexpensive 1030 Modem. There's a type-in terminal program with hot new features. Another type-in program makes it easy to create animated cartoons on a BBS or on your own home screen.
   The latest TeleComputing products for Atari will be reviewed. And when you log onto ANTIC ONLINE, you can always expect to find the latest news and information about the Atari world-including the most recent developments for the 16-bit ST computers.
   From most areas, there are no long distance charges when you log onto CompuServe, and there are never any charges for ANTIC ONLINE besides the standard hourly CompuServe connect fee.
   ANTIC ONLINE Special Bulletins may be downloaded for reprinting in newsletters of user groups affiliated with the Worldwide Users Network. Officers of unaffiliated groups should write to the WUN coordinator at Antic for details.