[HEA] _____________________ ___ _ |___ ______________| | | | | | | _ | | | | | || | | | | | | || | | | | | | || | | | ____ _ _ _ _ ______ | | | || | | | / __ \ | | / \_/ \ | ___ \ | | | || |__ ____ | | / / \ | | /\ /\ \ | | \ \ | | | || _ \ | _ \ | | \ \__/ | | | |_|| | | |__/ / | | | || | | || |_|| | | \___/|_| |_| |_| | ____/ |_| | || | | || |__ | |____________________ | | _ |__||_| |_|\____/ |________________________| | | |_| | | Lighting Your Apple II Path | | |_| ----------------------------------- >>> WELCOME TO THE LAMP! <<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE BEST OF THE A2 BULLETIN BOARD ON Syndicomm Online "Teaching the Apple II user how to fish since 1998" :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: The Lamp! An Onipa'a Software Production Vol. 9, No. 9 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Publisher................................Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W., L.S.W. Editor.....................................................Lyle Syverson Internet Email, Publisher.........................thelamp@sheppyware.net Internet Email, Editor..................lutefisk4me at sbcglobal dot net :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: TABLE OF CONTENTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ September 15, 2006 HIGH ABOVE THE ROCK RIVER---------------------------------------------[OPN] The Garage Mystery ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM A2Central.com Management---------------------------[A2C] A2Central.com Adding to Services Offered-------------------------[ATS] ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM SYNDICOMM------------------------------------------[ANS] Syndicomm to Refocus on Product Development and Sales------------[STR] A2 FORUM AT Syndicomm Online DISTILLATIONS----------------------------[DAS] About the Two Announcements Above--------------------------------[ATA] Apple II Mentioned-----------------------------------------------[ATM] Driving Lessons ala KFest----------------------------------------[DLK] Pilgrimage to Funspot--------------------------------------------[PFS] ImageMaker Work on Protected Disks?------------------------------[IPD] Sweet16 Versions 1.7, 1.7.1 and 1.7.2 Released-------------------[SSR] Sweet16 1.7.2 User Comments--------------------------------------[SUR] Sweet16 1.7.3 Released-------------------------------------------[SSU] A2Unplugged Interviews Juiced.GS Editor-in-chief-----------------[AIE] LETTERS TO THE EDITOR-------------------------------------------------[LTE] No Letters to the Editor This Month An Invitation KFEST 2007------------------------------------------------------------[KF7] KansasFest 2007--------------------------------------------------[KFS] EXTRA INNINGS About The Lamp! ------------------------------------------------ [INN] [*] [*] [*] READING THE LAMP! The index system used by The Lamp! is designed to make """"""""""""""""" your reading easier. To use this system, load this issue into any word processor or text editor. In the index you will find something like: EXTRA INNINGS About The Lamp! ------------------------------------------------ [INN] To read this article, simply use your search or find command to locate [INN]. There is a similar tag at the end of each article: [EOA]. [OPN]------------------------------- HIGH ABOVE THE ROCK RIVER | ------------------------------------ From The Editor """"""""""""""" by Lyle Syverson email:lutefisk4me at sbcglobal dot net The Garage Mystery ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Not far from the patio High Above The Rock River there is an ordinary looking house with a double attached garage. Ordinary, that is, until you walk down the alley behind this house and notice it has a quadruple garage accessible from the alley. Why do the people in this house need so much garage space? Turns out that the man of the house has a collection of classic cars. He restores and tinkers with these cars. Then, depending on his mood of the day, he picks a car and goes for a drive. He likes to show them off in local car shows. And participate in local parades. Those of us restoring, tinkering with, and using classic computers such as the Apple II's are in good company. Enjoy your Apple II(s). [EOA] ASCII ART BEGINS _________ _ _ _ |__ __| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |___ ____ | | _____ __ ___ _ _ _____ | | | | | ___ \ / __ \ | | /____ \ | v v | | v ___ \ | | | | | | | | | /__\ \ | | ____| | | /\ /\ | | / \ \ | | | | | | | | | _____| | | / ___ | | || || | | | | | |_| | | | | | | | |_____ | |____ | |__| | | || || | | \___/ / _ |_| |_| |_| \______| |______| \____^_| |_||_||_| | |\____/ |_| | | | | |_| ASCII ART ENDS [EOA] [A2C]---------------------------------------------- ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM A2Central.com Management | --------------------------------------------------- [ATS] A2Central.com Adding to Services Offered """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Sean Fahey, operator of the popular A2Central.com Apple II portal, announced today that development efforts are underway to make significant additions to the services offered. "In order to make A2Central.com the ultimate resource for Apple II users it was always meant to be, we'll be expanding our free services by implementing a bulletin board system that will offer chat, messaging, and file sections," Fahey said. "These services will be available for access both using telnet and on the web, so we'll be keeping one foot squarely in the past for our Apple II users, and our other foot forward for today's modern platforms." The new system is expected be in testing during October and to launch by November of 2006. Access to the new bulletin board features will be free of charge. Fahey added, "We have plans for a few extra features that we think will be a lot of fun." (SYNDICOMM, Cat 2, Top 2, Msg 9) [EOA] [ANS]------------------------------- ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM SYNDICOMM | ------------------------------------ [STR] SYNDICOMM TO REFOCUS ON PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND SALES """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" September 9, 2006--Syndicomm(tm) announced today, following A2Central.com's announcement that it would be opening free Apple II related forums, that it will be closing the Syndicomm Online online service in order to focus its efforts on product development and sales for Apple II and Macintosh computers. The closure will take effect at midnight Eastern Standard Time on December 1, 2006. Customers that have business web site accounts with Syndicomm will be able to continue to have their sites hosted with Syndicomm. Eric "Sheppy" Shepherd, the owner of Syndicomm, said, "With A2Central.com in Sean's capable hands, I feel confident that he can pick up the banner of providing the ultimate online home for Apple II users. Since Syndicomm Online is almost all Apple II users anyway, I felt it was time to close the online service so my time could be better used elsewhere." Shepherd added, "The online service has been being supported by the sale of software products since its inception, while at the same time keeping me too busy to develop new products. I feel that my best purpose in the Apple II world is to develop software, and closing the Syndicomm Online service will allow me to spend more time doing just that." "Sheppy and I realized that the best way to serve the Apple II world was for A2Central.com to provide chat, message boards, and similar services, and to let Sheppy -- that is, Syndicomm -- write code," Fahey said. "I look forward to continuing the legacy of support, camaraderie, and exchange of ideas and software that's always been the legacy of the Apple II forums operated by Syndicomm." PRESS CONTACTS Eric Shepherd - sheppy@syndicomm.com Sean Fahey - sfahey@a2central.com Eric "Sheppy" Shepherd sheppy@syndicomm.com Owner, Syndicomm http://www.syndicomm.com Building communities, bit by bit. (SYNDICOMM, Cat 2, Top 1, Msg 25) [EOA] [DAS]---------------------------------------------- DISTILLATIONS FROM The A2 FORUM at Syndicomm.com | --------------------------------------------------- by Lyle Syverson email:lutefisk4me at sbcglobal dot net [ATA] About the Two Announcements Above """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" I just wanted to post a note about the two announcements you've probably read already in topics 1 and 2 in this category. Sean and I have been working on this announcement for a few weeks now. It's a natural evolution, I think, from his assumption of the role of operator of A2Central.com, and, I think, will help A2Central become more like what I originally hoped it would be. Moreover, it'll give me the chance to spend more time doing what I think I do best in terms of contributing to the Apple II, which is writing software. I hope this isn't too freaky. :) Eric "Sheppy" Shepherd sheppy@syndicomm.com Owner, Syndicomm http://www.syndicomm.com Building communities, bit by bit. (SYNDICOMM, Cat 2, Top 8, Msg 651) >>>>> """"" It certainly is quiet in here. I have been contemplating what implications these changes have for the future of _The Lamp!_ Lyle Syverson, Editor, _The Lamp!_ published monthly at: http://lamp.a2central.com/ (LYLE, Cat 2, Top 8, Msg 652) >>>>> """"" I'm hoping that this change will be really good for the community at large. I hope that The Lamp! will make the move one more time, to A2Central's new board. Eric "Sheppy" Shepherd sheppy@syndicomm.com Owner, Syndicomm http://www.syndicomm.com Building communities, bit by bit. (SYNDICOMM, Cat 2, Top 8, Msg 653) >>>>> """"" My main concern here is off line readers. Will we still be able to use SOAR? Or any of the other OLRs? Carl Knoblock - Retired - Mon 11 Sep 06 10:06:14 pm cknoblo@cox.com - Via Spectrum v2.5.3 & SOAR v1.0b10 KFest 2007, July 17-22, 2007 - 309 days till KFest On cable via LANceGS & Marinetti 2.0.1 - Thank you, Richard. A2 RTC Staff - Sunday Night House Party - carlk@syndicomm.com (CARLK, Cat 2, Top 8, Msg 654) >>>>> """"" IMHO: As a person who makes very certain that he captures to file every new message, just let me say... access via telnet is so incredibly simple that I don't bother with an OLR. Lyle Syverson, Editor, _The Lamp!_ published monthly at: http://lamp.a2central.com/ (LYLE, Cat 2, Top 8, Msg 655) [EOA] [ATM] Apple II Mentioned """""""""""""""""" The Apple II is mentioned in conjunction with the release of the original "Star Wars" film in this event listing for 1977: http://www.starwars.com/episode-iv/release/video/news20060821.html (KGAGNE, Cat 2, Top 6, Msg 143) [EOA] [DLK] Driving Lessons ala KFest """"""""""""""""""""""""" Due to my car being in the shop today, the dealer had to lend me a rental. It was my first time behind the wheel of a PT Cruiser. Fortunately, thanks, to KFest, I had good examples from which to learn - how NOT to drive. -Ken (KGAGNE, Cat 5, Top 8, Msg 34) >>>>> """"" So how do you have passengers test out the "oh (CENSORED)" handle? Geoff (GEOFF, Cat 5, Top 8, Msg 35) >>>>> """"" For those of you who remember the "Sam and Max" video games, here is an appropriate quote as found in http://lucasfic.mixnmojo.com/misc/snmquot.txt : Max: Mind if I drive? Sam: Not if you don't mind me clawing at the dash and shrieking like a cheerleader. Geoff (GEOFF, Cat 5, Top 8, Msg 36) [EOA] [PFS] Pilgrimage to Funspot """"""""""""""""""""" This past weekend, I made a pilgrimage to one of my favorite destinations on Earth: Funspot, located near Weirs Beach on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, USA. This place was a popular vacation spot for my family when I was younger, but it didn't hold quite the same appeal then that it does now. Indeed, Funspot got a lot of flack from 1988 to 1999 - but they knew that, in time, sticking to their guns would produce for them a unique attraction. That attraction is a room filled with more than a hundred arcade games from the Seventies and Eighties. Among that collection are many that are familiar to Apple II users, including Lode Runner, Qix, Arkanoid, Paperboy, and Frogger. This is the arcade where Billy Mitchell achieved a perfect score in Pac-Man on July 3rd, 1999. He is one of many whose pictures are framed on the Wall of Fame, while nearby are hung original posters advertising new games such as Dragon's Lair and Space Ace. Along the perimeter of the main room are dozens of pinball machines, from Superman of 30 years ago to more recent devices such as The Addams Family and Star Trek: The Next Generation. The games cost what they did back then: a quarter, unadjusted for inflation. I went to Funspot with someone who had never been to an arcade before - in fact, before last month, she had never played any video game whatsoever. We split $10 in tokens and squeezed out more than two hours of entertainment. We then played air hockey and skeeball, exchanging our tickets from the latter for a Chinese finger trap and some Pixie sticks, before heading from the cold, dark hive of electronic activity out again into the glaring sun of midday to take on Funspot's go-kart track. Throughout the weekend, I neither stepped foot onto Weirs Beach nor spent any moment of the fading hours of summer sunlight in the waters of New Hampshire's largest lake. I am home again now, thinking to myself of all that I've missed - not the natural wonders of New England, but the 20 years of arcades that have witnessed increased expense and decreased popularity. Fortunately, the fall of that empire can be, at least temporarily, reversed as decades past rise once again by this simple trek to Funspot - made possible by the determination and passion of people such as manager Gary Vincent, technician Randy Lawton, and donors like Curt Vendel, who detached themselves from their own precious gaming artifacts so that they could be made available to all generations at this living museum. The website for Funspot, which catalogues their collection, is: http://www.funspotnh.com/gms-classic.htm (KGAGNE, Cat 14, Top 8, Msg 41) [EOA] [IPD] ImageMaker Work on Protected Disks? """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Can I use ImageMaker to get a disk image of a protected disk? I am especially thinking of Wizardry (I) which I would like to re-play without the hassle of all the disk access. :) I thought that I had seen a disk image online at one time, but last night I couldn't find it again. Now that I have tried Sweet16 (with the help of a disk image I had used with Bernie to the Rescue on an older Mac) and found that it works quite well, I would really like to enjoy Wizardry again. David R. Pierce (DAVIDP, Cat 24, Top 9, Msg 4) >>>>> """"" It depends on how the disk is protected. In general, though, ImageMaker isn't really designed to deal with protected disks, so it may or may not work. Can't hurt to try though. :) Eric "Sheppy" Shepherd sheppy@syndicomm.com Owner, Syndicomm http://www.syndicomm.com Building communities, bit by bit. (SYNDICOMM, Cat 24, Top 9, Msg 5) [EOA] [SSR] Sweet16 Versions 1.7, 1.7.1 and 1.7.2 Released """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" I've just released Sweet16 1.7, which you can find at: http://www.sheppyware.net/software-mac/sweet16/index.html The new version has a bunch of changes, including fixes for some (but admittedly not all) of the most-reported issues. Performance on PowerPC systems is also much improved. A complete list of the changes follows: 1. Pathnames are now kept in UTF-8 format instead of in ASCII, which improves compatibility for non-English users. 2. Added a preference to automatically cause the mouse to be disabled when in text modes. 3. Fixed the speed control checkbox so that toggling it takes effect immediately instead of usually requiring you to quit and restart Sweet16. 4. Optimized performance on PowerPC systems, improving speed by up to 30%. 5. DiskCopy 4.2 images created and marked as being Mac format disks will now work in Sweet16. 6. Sound effects are now played when ejecting floppy disk images. 7. The font in the disks window is now Lucida Grande. Eric "Sheppy" Shepherd sheppy@syndicomm.com Owner, Syndicomm http://www.syndicomm.com Building communities, bit by bit. (SYNDICOMM, Cat 29, Top 39, Msg 6) >>>>> """"" I've just released Sweet16 1.7.1, the latest version of the Apple IIgs emulator for Mac OS X. The new feature includes a couple of modest new features and fixes a slough of bugs. You can get additional information or download the software at . Sweet16 is freeware. Here's a list of everything that's changed: 1. Holding down the option key while mounting 800K disk images now mounts them as CleverPort devices instead of as IWM floppy disks; this lets you mount lots of 3.5" disk images at once, which makes installing the system software, for example, incredibly easy. 2. Updated the URL in the documentation that's presented for where to go to download system disks. 3. Aliases to files now resolve correctly, so you can drop aliases to your disk images into the Disk Images folder, instead of moving the images themselves. 4. The Reset command in the Setup menu now works correctly. 5. Optimized more PowerPC code, resulting in a small additional performance boost over version 1.7. 6. Fixed a bug that prevented Recent Disks from mounting. 7. Items in the Eject submenu now display the name of the disk correctly; this broke in version 1.7 due to the UTF-8 change. 8. Ejecting a disk then inserting a new one now properly redraws the contents of the disks window if it's visible. Previously, it was possible for the contents of the window to become somewhat confused in this situation. 9. Fixed a bug that caused the mouse cursor to bounce around the screen when Default Folder X is installed. This also slightly improves the response performance of the mouse in Sweet16. 10. Fixed a couple of problems that caused crashes when clicking in the disks window under certain circumstances. 11. The Control-Command-M keyboard combination now properly issues the Mount Disk Image command. 12. Fixed a memory leak when initializing the Recent Disks menu. 13. Added a "Clear Recent Disks" command to the Recent Disks menu. This empties the recent disks list. 14. Fixed a bug that caused new DiskCopy 4.2 images to have invalid names in their DiskCopy 4.2 headers. 15. Fixed a bug that caused the progress window used when creating disk images or calculating the checksum on a DiskCopy 4.2 image to crash. 16. Fixed HTML markup problem in the documentation that made the instructions on copying the ROM from a IIgs unreadable. 17. Fixed the error dialog box that appears if you try to mount too many disks (or too many of a given type) so it actually contains text. 18. Fixed the "allow 14 MB" checkbox and the other controls in the Memory panel in the Preferences window to stay in sync properly. 19. Fixed the memory size preference so it resets to 8 MB if you turn off the "allow 14 MB" checkbox with the memory size set above 8 MB. Eric "Sheppy" Shepherd sheppy@syndicomm.com Owner, Syndicomm http://www.syndicomm.com Building communities, bit by bit. (SYNDICOMM, Cat 29, Top 39, Msg 7) >>>>> """"" I've just released Sweet16 1.7.2. The new version fixes a bug that prevented writing to 5.25" disk images, and lets you mount multiple disks at a time by dragging a number of images at once into the Disks window. http://www.sheppyware.net/software-mac/sweet16/index.html Eric "Sheppy" Shepherd sheppy@syndicomm.com Owner, Syndicomm http://www.syndicomm.com Building communities, bit by bit (SYNDICOMM, Cat 29, Top 39, Msg 8) [EOA] [SUR] Sweet16 1.7.2 User Comments """"""""""""""""""""""""""" I just installed Sweet16 1.7.2 for the first time. Everything seems to be working fine except the mouse. It's not smooth. It kind of skips and stutters across the screen, and there is a slight delay between when I move the mouse and when the pointer moves. This makes it a bit hard to use, especially when I need fine control of the pointer. I have tried various speed settings, with and without speed control and ZipGS emulation. Actually, I'm not quite sure what the speed control checkbox is supposed to do, as the overall performance seems to be the same regardless of this setting. But whatever settings I use, the mouse performance is always the same. I'm using a Power Mac G4 1.4 GHz with 1 GB RAM running OS X 10.4.7. Other than this little glitch, Sweet16 is working great for me. Thanks, Sheppy! Tony Ward (A2.TONY, Cat 29, Top 39, Msg 9) >>>>> """"" The mouse sluggishness is due to the currently less than fabulous graphics code. Right now, it's basically using the "Use QuickDraw" mode from Bernie, which isn't exactly the speediest thing on Earth. I'm going to be rewriting the graphics code to use OpenGL for graphics soon, hopefully for the next release, which is one of the reasons I don't expect to release another build for some time. It's going to be a big job. Eric "Sheppy" Shepherd sheppy@syndicomm.com Owner, Syndicomm http://www.syndicomm.com Building communities, bit by bit. (SYNDICOMM, Cat 29, Top 39, Msg 11) [EOA] [SSU] Sweet16 1.7.3 Released """""""""""""""""""""" I've released Sweet16 1.7.3, which I expect to be the last update before a major revision that will take some months to finish. This version fixes speed control to work correctly on PowerPC, fixes the timing of certain interrupts (games that were playing at the wrong speed should work better now), and now supports the Dvorak and French Canadian keyboard layouts. http://www.sheppyware.net/software-mac/sweet16/index.html Eric "Sheppy" Shepherd sheppy@syndicomm.com Owner, Syndicomm http://www.syndicomm.com Building communities, bit by bit. (SYNDICOMM, Cat 29, Top 39, Msg, 12) [EOA] [AIE] A2Unplugged Interviews Juiced.GS Editor-in-chief """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" The latest episode of Ryan Suenaga's biweekly Apple II podcast, A2Unplugged, features an interview with the editor-in-chief of Juiced.GS. Read more about it and download the MP3 at this page: http://a2unplugged.com/wordpress/?p=13 (KGAGNE, Cat 23, Top 2, Msg 731) [EOA] [LTE]------------------------------- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | ------------------------------------ NO LETTERS TO THE EDITOR THIS MONTH """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" The mail box for Letters to the Editor remained empty this month. [EOA] AN INVITATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Express your opinions about the comings and goings in the world of the Apple II computers. Send your comments to Lyle Syverson, lutefisk4me at sbcglobal dot net The Editor reserves the right to edit any material submitted. The Editor reserves the right to reject any material he considers unsuitable for publication in _The Lamp!_. [EOA] [KF7]------------------------------ KFest 2007 | ----------------------------------- [KFS] KansasFest 2007 """"""""""""""" is scheduled for July 17-22, 2007. Go to for details. [EOA] [INN]------------------------------ EXTRA INNINGS | ----------------------------------- About The Lamp! The Lamp! is published on the fifteenth of every month on """"""""""""""" the WEB at: http://lamp.a2central.com/ This publication produced entirely with real or emulated Apple II computers using Appleworks 5.1 and Hermes. Apple II Forever! * The Lamp! is (c) copyright 2006 by Ryan M. Suenaga, M.S.W. All rights reserved. * To reach The Lamp! on Internet email send mail to thelamp@sheppyware.net * All issues of The Lamp! are available at The Lamp! Home Page, http://lamp.a2central.com/ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of A2Central.com, Delphi Online Services, Syndicomm, Ryan M. Suenaga, or Lyle Syverson. Forum messages are reprinted verbatim and are included in this publication with permission from the individual authors. A2Central.com, Delphi Online Services, Syndicomm, Ryan M. Suenaga, and Lyle Syverson do not guarantee the accuracy or suitability of any information included herein. We reserve the right to edit all letters and copy. Material published in this edition may not be reprinted without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Registered computer user groups, not for profit publications , and other interested parties may write the publisher to apply for permission to reprint any or all material. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< [EOF]