16/32-bit Atari Version ( formatted in ASCII, 80-columns)

BETAZINE.TXT: BetaZine Issue #3 1/90

 In a few seconds, you'll be reading...

 ________ ____________________________
 ________ ____________________________
 BetaZine- The On-Line Magazine
 ________ ____________________________
 ________ ____________________________
                                            for Atari 8-bit, ST, and STe users

Issue Number 3: January 1990
                ^^^^^^^ ^^^^
     (Third issue for 1/90)
       Editor, Mike Mezaros.

"BetaZine", "BetaZine - The On-Line Magazine", and the contents of this issue 
are (C)opyright 1990 by Mike Mezaros. All Rights Reserved.

Articles may be reprinted in full or quoted for use in a review of a product or 
of this magazine UNLESS that particular article carries a byline (author's 
name). If so, you must contact BetaZine. See SUBMIT.TXT for full details. 
BetaZine - The On-Line Magazine is published bi-monthly by The PsychoTronic 
Authority.

   BetaZine is Proud to Support...

          The REVOLUTION!
          _______________

=====

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>TABLE OF CONTENTS:

-
Notes from the Scratch Pad
-

               [FEATURE ARTICLES]

-
Editorial: The Same Mistake Twice?
-
"The Agonies and Ecstacies of Telecommunicating" (by Jack Lee) - "You can Quote 
Me on it!"
(by Brian Woods)
-
"Register that 8-bit ShareWare!"
(by Kurt Arnold)
-

       [BETAZINE NEWS & REVIEWS]

-
ICD Prices Lowered
(by Stan Lowell)
-
STop, look, liSTen: STe Prices
-
New Execs at Atari Corp. <Again!>
-
GoGo ST: A Review
(by Jerry Morton)
-
FCC Approval for MS-DOS Machines
-
World of Atari at Disneyland
-
Have a REVOLUTIONary February!
-
DRAM Project Fails
-

=====

NOTES FROM THE SCRATCH PAD

     Due to the ARCing of the wrong file, Issue #2's Table of Contents 
contained the listing "ICD PRICES LOWERED (Stan Lowell)" but the actual article 
was not found in the issue. We regret the error, and the article can be found 
later in this issue.
     The large majority of the copies of the first two issues of BetaZine that 
were distributed were in ATASCII format. ASCII versions of those issues have 
been distributed along with this issue. As of this issue, only ASCII versions 
will be distributed. If BetaZine is to be downloaded and read by Atari 8-bit 
users (as oppossed to on-line reading) an ASCII to ATASCII reformatter program 
will have to be used. There are several shareware programs of this type, and 
they are available on most Atari 8-bit BBS's.
     This issue also contains NO dealers listing file because there were no 
updates to report. The DEALERS.TXT file included with Issue #2 is still the 
latest, up-to-date file. Because there are only two files in this issue, the 
READ.ME file has also been skipped.
     As you can see, we have made a few more changes to the BetaZine format. We 
are trying to make it easier to read with each issue. If you have any comments 
or suggestions on how to improve BZ, please drop us a line.
     We have a few surprises coming up for you in future issues, so be sure to 
get a hold of the latest BZ whenever you can. And as always, we are in 
desparate need of article submissions. See the SUBMIT.TXT file for more 
information on both of these matters.
=====

          [FEATURE ARTICLES]

=====

EDITORIAL: THE SAME MISTAKE TWICE?

     I'm writing this editorial at 2:00am, so please bear with me if I tend to 
ramble on <grin>.
     In 1979, the "top of the line" Atari computer was the newly introduced 
Atari 800. In 1989, the "top of the line" Atari computer was the yet-to-be 
introduced Atari TT.
     It's now 1990, and the existence of the TT is no longer in question. Only 
ten years have passed since the Atari 800 was a new, powerful computer (more 
power for the price when compared to the Apple II's available at the time). 
Today, although computers largely compatible with the 800 are still being 
produced (the 130XE and the XE Game System), they have been placed on the back 
burner (the back burner six blocks away, to be exact) to make room for the 
newer ST, STe, and TT models.
     Why are the 8-bits in such bad shape? Because the ST introduced in 1985 
could not run 8-bit software.
     Huh? Say that again?
     When Atari introduced the ST's, they should have made them compatible with 
the 8-bit. A few minor revisions, the addition of an 8-bit bus and SIO port 
would've done the trick. The ST would have been to the 8-bit what the Apple 
//gs is to the Apple // family. What would this have done for Atari?
     More Atari 800 and XL users would have upgraded to the ST system, knowing 
that they could keep their peripherals and software. More software developers 
would have continued to produce 8-bit software, knowing that it would run on 
the older as well as newer Ataris. In addition, the ST would have seemed more 
like an improvement to the 8-bit line rather than its abandonment.
     Obviously, it's too late for any of this now. But with preliminary STe and 
TT reports coming in showing that they will not run quite a bit of ST software, 
let's hope that Atari does NOT make the same mistake twice.
     Atari, if you're listening, Tos 1.6 and Tos030 should be revised as soon 
as possible. There is no reason why the STe and TT shouldn't be able to run ALL 
ST software -- except laziness.
     On another note, The REVOLUTION will have no effect if the only Atari 
computers available in the U.S. are already outdated models (for more 
information on The REVOLUTION, see "Have a REVOLUTIONary February!" elsewhere 
in this issue). Canada has the STe. Where is it to be found in the U.S.? We've 
got to keep the ball rolling, or Atari will never have a chance to make a 
domestic comeback.
     Before finishing up, I'd just like to say a quick thanks to all of you who 
have contributed and/or commented. I appreciate your interest a great deal, and 
starting next issue, BZ will have a "letters to the editor" column -- so if you 
wish to write a letter to the editor, please read the SUBMIT.TXT file, and be 
sure to note on the letter that it is for publication. (All responsible letters 
will be published, as space allows.) WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS!

     Until next time,
                  ///Mike Mezaros
        Editor, BetaZine Magazine

=====

THE AGONIES AND ECSTACIES OF TELECOMMUNICATING by Jack Lee

     Telecommunicating on bulletin boards is a real pleasure- you can "meet" 
new friends, have good conversations, engage in heated debates, and even obtain 
some nice pprograms now and again. In the past, most bulletin boards were 
somewhat limited- the messages you posted or responded to were "local". That is 
to say, the only people who could read your messages were callers of the same 
BBS you were on. Nowadays, everywhere you look, many of these BBSs are much 
more advanced- they are connected to a nationwide network, thus allowing you to 
communicate with a lot more people. "Echo-mail", as it is sometimes is called, 
works simple enough. At fixed times, the BBS will either send or receive calls, 
at which point messages are exchanged. While this is a great advantage, just 
like real mail, it takes from a few hours to a few days before you can see 
replies to your post. Since the message base isn't "local", it takes time for 
your posts to go around the country, and likewise for the replies. But in any 
event, this is a fair tradeoff, considering the quality of information you 
might receive. And even more grand, some of the users are established people- 
writers for science-fiction magazines, authors of computer magazine programs, 
etc. It's very fun and enlightening, given the scope of interests and hobbies 
available. Your no longer restricted to the fixed number of users on your local 
BBS that will see your messages- but hundreds and hundreds, maybe even 
thousands more! Unfortunately, even with a nationwide setup, just like the 
local BBS, not everyone will have the interest in participating! Why? I don't 
know. Are people more interested in expanding their program library rather than 
engaging in neat topics? Probably, which is quite unfortunate. They are missing 
out on half the fun! I know from experience. In my "early days" (1986) of 
telecommunicating, my primary use of the modem was mainly to get files, with 
posting messages secondary. But as time went by, I grew to like the message 
bases even more- and this was before the BBSs I called had the networking! And 
when the networking arrived, I was blown away. I learned more, and was also 
able to help others, and even got neat information from people close to their 
respective industries (whether it be motion pictures or computers). All in all, 
this made me appreciate computers even more. Now, on to something else! 
Everyone who telcommunicates uses different speeds. It depends on the level of 
computer knowledge and how much $$$ they can afford on a modem. 300 baud is 
awfully slow these days- it's practically an obsolete speed. The only good use 
for 300 baud is to read text files on-line, if you have the patience! It's hard 
to imagine that I started off with that speed when I got my first modem. It was 
an Atari XM-301. At $49.99, it was all I could afford. I got that on September 
13th, 1986. Originally, I had intended to get the Atari SX212, but that still 
was not available at the time. And even though I had used Atari computers for 
about three and half years at the time, I didn't know too much about what the 
"R:" device was all about. All I knew was that the Atari 850 device was 
required for plugging in third party modems and printers. After hearing that 
the SX212 would be a direct-connect modem, I set forth out to get one, but 
since it hadn't come out, I settled for the XM-301. And to make a long story 
short, that modem gave me more headaches than pleasures, although I'll admit 
once I got that modem, I was hooked on telecommunications. Where once I would 
spend most of the time playing games when I wasn't doing any real work, the 
modem took up nearly 95% of my computer usage. I would spend six to eight 
consecutive hours on my Atari 800.
    1200 baud is better, and a bit more convenient. I didn't upgrade to this 
speed until over a year later, when I plunked down $190 for an Avatex 1200hc 
and a P:R: Connection. It took me some time before getting used to that speed! 
I thought this was a fast speed, but now I'm so used to it, it was like what 
300 baud was when I first started BBSing. You only notice the speed in 
comparison to the others, but when you are used to a current one, you don't 
realize it. I think 1200 is kind of slow now! 2400 (whoosh!) is probably the 
best (for the end user, anyway) but only if you are a speed reader (heh, heh!). 
Most serious users go by this, but there are even faster speeds, like 4800, 
9600, and 19,200. Generally, their prime purpose is for using a "null-modem" or 
transferrring large amounts of data. Of course, the faster you go, the more 
likely there will be corruption in the data, no matter how good the transfer 
protocols you use can detect errors.
      Anyway, files are primarily why people call BBSs- it's a fast and easy 
way to get games or what have you when you are too lazy to type one in from a 
magazine, or don't want to spend $$$ for magazine+disk, since it is more 
expensive. Because I call long-distance boards on occasions (they usually have 
good files not found locally), I find it necessary to obtain files that suit my 
needs the most, so I don't waste too much time getting botched files. 
Unfortunately, that happens too many times!
      Don't you hate it when there are six files under different filenames, yet 
they are the same files? Yep, seems like too many new users out there think 
they have some hot file, and upload it pronto. Where do they get the different 
names? Is it because it's untitled? Is it because it's under a more common name 
among different users? You know that 1985 CES Demo with the robot and 
spaceship? I've seen these names: ATARIDMO.COM, ROBOSHIP.COM, CESDEMO.COM, 
COOL.COM, NEATDEMO.COM, etc. To date, there must have been nineteen names that 
I have seen. All were the same, there were no custom title screens, or 
anything! And it was also hard to keep track of it, because different system 
operators use different DOSes with their BBS software, so the filesize given 
was never constant!
     How about downloading a long program? You don't have much time left for 
using the BBS, but enough to d/l the program. Just as the last few bytes are 
about to come in, poof!! The BBS goes kaput with a power surge! Or how about a 
device time-out? Aaarrggghhhh!!! Even worse, downloading a big program, and it 
doesn't work!! Why don't the users ever test their programs or boot disks 
before sending them? When I was at 300 baud, it was ridiculously not funny. 
Even at 1200, you are not invunerable to problems! While understandably, most 
BBSs will calculate the time you have left along with your speed to see if you 
sufficient time left for downloading. On some boards I've called, they don't 
tell you anything. What this means, you may be in the process of downloading a 
big file, but then before you realize it, the BBS hangs up on you because 
you've used up your allotted time for the day! Aaarrrggghhh!
     Even more pathetic, there are users that try to sound cool when they're 
not. The file descriptions they give are simply awful! "A KOOL GAME,YOU'LL LOVE 
IT", "A GOOD TERMINAL PROGRAM THAT I USE ALL THE TIME", "LOAD FROM DOS!" What 
descriptive text, eh? And I can't stand all caps! Very hard to read. Is the 
person yelling or something? I don't like these type of descriptions, because 
many times they programs are junk or ones that I already have. Don't you hate 
users that upload multi-file programs separately? Very hard to cope with- 
haven't they ever heard of ARC? Yes and no. Yes, because they are too lazy to 
go through the process of compacting files. And no, since they just want to 
have a good upload/download ratio! SysOps should take more notice of that. I 
certainly do, and I'm not even a SysOp! I think SysOps should be a little 
stricter on this.
     But then, there are also users who like to be a little smart-alecky. They 
upload "nothing programs"- take an example of this:

      10 PRINT
      20 PRINT
      30 GO TO 10
      40 END

     (We've seen this all before)

     Back to what I said, I've downloaded, I estimate, about 85% junked or 
duplicate files, and have spent a good amount of $$$ dollars on phone bills 
because of this! Is laziness a good excuse for bad files? No! All it takes is a 
minute or two to check a file to see if it works properly! But, no! Any time a 
user gets a file, they play with it a bit, tamper with it, and then upload it. 
By tamper, I mean they will put their names up (whether it be with a 
sector-editor or programs that tag text on to the main file), or they ARC a 
disk that shouldn't be compacted in that way. There are a good many disk-based 
programs that have a few hidden files, directories, or use certain areas of 
disk sectors for storing information. They can't be read through conventional 
methods, since ARC only reads the files, not the individual sectors!
     Or how about users that write nasty programs, hidden in friendly ones? I'm 
not just talking about viruses, trojan horses, etc. I lost one disk containing 
utilities and games I spent many hours typing in from various magazines. It was 
my only copy, and seeing that 'Disk Pharmacy' sounded neat, I put that on the 
same disk. The program was supposed to let you use bad disks by either 
repairing the damaged sectors or by formatting them in a special technique. 
However, it did that. Format. I ran the program, and even before I could change 
disks, a friendly title screen came on. Then, kapow! The program wrote bad 
sectors, erased some files, and threw the directory off balance. The result? A 
disk that couldn't be fixed! In turn, the program did the opposite of what it 
was supposed to do! There were no prompts, nothing to warn you. The program 
itself crashed after the uneventful malicious damage it had done to the disk.
     And of course, there's always that proverbial clash with the Sysop. They 
jump on you from time to time, usually for things that are not necessarily your 
fault. Hanging up, for instance. Older BBS programs weren't smart enough to 
detect carrier loss, thus tying up the program in limbo. Why would the user 
hang up on the system in the first place, especially if they are there for a 
purpose (other than hanging up)? Why do the SysOps jump the gun before thinking 
out the possible causes- power surges, malfunctioning modem, novice user, noisy 
line, etc.? Well, after all, it's their system, and they plunked down a lot $$$ 
for it. They don't like when people try to abuse their computer. But then 
again, these things are not always the user's fault! It's like Murphy's Law. It 
always seems like the SysOp is not around when you're on-line and doing 
something beneficial (like actively participating in the messages and uploading 
a lot). But they are always around when you somehow lose carrier! Pretty neat 
how things works out, right?
     Telecommuncating is just like any other use of the computer- there are the 
good parts and bad parts. And it does have certain limitations, but that is 
where the fun part comes in. You can get pretty creative with those 
limitations. You need not always go with the norm on using a modem. For 
example, one time as an experiment, I had both my 800 and 130XE on-line 
simulateneously on a BBS with two modems. Both worked as they would normally 
have, but it did cause some confusion for the computers at times- one would 
sometimes detect carrier loss, or other times "line noise" would botch up 
normal operations. The line noise was the result of each modem using a 
different tone for 300 baud. But nonetheless, it was kind of fun fooling around 
with that kind of setup.
     There are hidden potentials you can find and experiment with, and the only 
way they can be exploited is for you to try them out!

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This will most likely be Jack's last appearance in BetaZine for 
some time. He is returning to southern California, where he attends college. We 
appreciate Jack's unique insights, and wish him well in the coming semester. 
Don't slack off, Jack! -Ed.)

=====

"You can Quote Me on it!"
by Brian Woods

     Here are some interesting quotes from the past decade relating to Atari 
and the home computer market in general. Enjoy them.

"We're confident the PCjr is here to stay."
  -Robert Lock
   Editor of Compute!'s PC & PCjr
   July 1984

"SHALL-WE-PLAY-A-GAME?"
  -Joshua
   WarGames
   1982

"I was so pleased with the ADAM that I took it to school and gave a 
presentation to the entire school body. When I was finished many of my peers 
were raving over the ADAM."
  -Michael DuJulio, Chicago, Illinois
   Coleco ADAM advertisement
   January 1985

"The ST promises to shatter all existing price-performance barriers and become 
a leader in the home computer market... Jack Tramiel has launched his third 
home computer, the 130ST!"
  -Ad for "Presenting the Atari ST"
   Abacus Software
   1985

"The day the IBM PC became obselete. It was a Monday in the Autumn of '83."
  -Press Release from Leading Edge
   December 1983

"Discover What You and Atari Can Do."
  -Atari, Inc. slogan
   1983

"Power Without the Price."
  -Atari, Corp. slogan
   1985

"A Computer for the Rest of Us."
  -Apple's Macintosh slogan
   1984

"A Computer for All of Us."
  -Atari, Corp. slogan
   1989

"The MSX computers are coming, straight from Japan, and they might just change 
the home computer market forever..."
  -Compute! Magazine
   1984

"CD-ROM would give people a good reason to buy my new computer."
  -Jack Tramiel
   1985

"What do micro buyers want? Easy. They want 1000K RAM; 10Mb of hard disk space; 
3-D color animated graphics with resolution indistinguishable from broadcast 
TV; a built-in modem, laser-disc interface, and printer; stereo sound on a par 
with a Moog; and ease of use like a Macintosh. And they want it all for 
$99.95."
  -John J. Anderson, 1957-1989
   Creative Computing
   1984

=====

"Register that 8-bit ShareWare!"
by Kurt Arnold

     I am not a programmer. The most complex thing I've ever programmed was a 
check balancing routine I copied from my owner's manual into my old TI and 
straight onto cassette tape.
     Odds are, you're not a programmer either. You MIGHT be, but chances are, 
you're not. And if you own an Atari eight-bit, most of the new software you get 
these days is SHAREWARE.
     What is shareware? Well, as far as the Atari eight-bit is concerned, it's 
our life blood. Some very nice people who have the "gift" of programming (and I 
do mean gift!) have written some excellent programs, and rather than sell them 
commercially, they've made them available for all to use. And all they usually 
ask in return is for you to send in a small registration fee (usually $10-$15) 
and to share the program with others.
     Is that too much to ask? No. And yet I'd be willing to bet that a good 80% 
of you haven't registered any of your shareware. If you can't afford the price 
of registration, send anything. Even if it's just a note of thanks. It only 
costs the price of a stamp.
     What happened when we didn't support the commercial software companies? 
They abandoned our machine. What will happen if we don't show our appreciation 
for the shareware developers? You guessed it.
     Check your doc files, and send your registrations out today.

=====

              [BETAZINE NEWS]

=====

ICD PRICES LOWERED
by Stan Lowell

(EDITOR'S NOTE: The following announcement originally appeared on Stan's BBS, 
[Blank Page] BBS (201)-805-3967. It is reprinted here with his permission. 
-Ed.)

     If you have been thinking of buying an ICD/OSS product, there is good 
news! ICD has recently dropped their prices on the following list captured from 
their BBS:

 # Product Price
 -------------------------------------
 1. P:R: Connection *NEW PRICE* 62.96
 2. Printer Connection *LOWER* 41.96
 3. Printer Cable 14.95
 4. Modem Cable 14.95
 5. R-Time 8 Cartridge *LOWER* 48.96
 6. Rambo XL 256K Upgrade *LOW* 27.96
 7. RAM Chips for Rambo XL 32.00
 8. SpartaDOS Contruction Set * 27.96
 9. SpartaDOS Tool Kit *LOWER* 27.96
10. SpartaDOS X *LOWER* 55.96

-------------------------------------
# Product Price
-------------------------------------
 1. MAC/65 *NEW LOW PRICE!* 55.96
 2. MAC/65 Toolkit *LOWER!* 20.96
 3. ACTION! *LOWER PRICE!* 55.96
 4. ACTION! Toolkit *LOWER!* 20.96
 5. ACTION! Run-Time *LOWER!* 20.96
 6. BASIC XL *NEW LOW PRICE!* 41.96
 7. BASIC XL Tool Kit 29.95
 8. BASIC XE *NEW LOW PRICE!* 55.96

So, now is a good time to order the goodies and save a little in the process!

(EDITOR'S NOTE: These prices are changes in the manufacturer's suggested retail 
prices. The lowering of the MSRP should reflect upon actual retail and 
mail-order prices. -Ed.)

=====

STop, look, liSTen: STE PRICES

     The STe, equipped with one megabyte of RAM, TOS 1.6, additional I/O 
joystick ports (for light guns), 4096 colors, built-in double sided drive, RCA 
ports for stereo sound, and an Atari mouse, carries an MSRP of $1100 in 
Canadian funds.
     However, many retailers in Canada are selling the STe for under $700 
Canadian, and are also selling the older ST models at greatly reduced prices.
     This may mean that the STe will sell for as little as $550 in American 
funds when it hits domestic shelves. Atari has not yet announced a date for STe 
availability in the U.S.

=====

NEW EXECS AT ATARI CORP. <AGAIN!>

     Former AST research executive Mike Morand has taken over the position of 
President of Atari Computers U.S. division. Bill Crouch, head of sales at 
Commodore when the C64 was a hot item, has been named the new Vice President of 
Sales.
     What these changes will mean to Atarians and Atari Corp. is yet to be 
seen.

=====

GOGO ST: A REVIEW
by Jerry Morton

     Last issue I reviewed the MegSTender, a "keyboard wire" replacement for 
the Mega from Maxwell CPU. This time I'm going to review GoGo ST, another 
product from Maxwell CPU -- but, as you'll see, GoGo ST is generally more 
useful than the MegSTender.
     First off: Click! Click! Click! Click! Click! Click! Click! What the heck 
am I doing, you ask? Why, I'm double clicking. With a trusty old Atari mouse, 
double clicking can mean clicking five or six times, especially when that mouse 
is more OLD than TRUSTY (like the mouse on my 1040).
     Click! Click! Click! It's enough to drive me to drink. (And it did. 
Ha-ha.)
     GoGo ST won't fix your mouse, but it WILL reduce the number of times 
you'll have to click to get to your favorite programs. In fact, the concept is 
SO simple I'm totally shocked that no one has ever thought of it before.
     Once you've installed the program on your hard disk, you simply run GoGo 
and add the programs of your choice to the GoGo ST menu. It's very easy, almost 
as easy as the GoGo menu itself. Your selections will be alphabetized and 
thrown up in a menu of 50 choices. Simply move the mouse, and Click! once. It's 
almost TOO easy.
     In fact, you might never have to double-click again. You can install GoGo 
so that it'll run by hitting Control-Enter.
     Maxwell CPU should've called GoGo ST something like Single-Click ST. Well, 
on second thought, if they had done that, we would have missed out on the 
lovely go go dancing stick figures in the upper left hand corner of the GoGo 
menu. You can't have everything.
     $34.95 may sound a little steep for such a simple utility, but believe me, 
GoGo ST is worth every single penny. Even on my Mega, which has a very healthy 
mouse, GoGo has made the time I spend on the Ataris a whole lot easier.

GoGo ST Version 1.2 $34.95
Maxwell CPU
507 West Baseline Blvd.
:afayette, CO, 80026
(303)-665-4849 (voice)
(303)-666-4470 (data, 3/12/2400 baud)

=====

FCC APPROVAL FOR MS-DOS MACHINES

     Atari's MS-DOS compatible desktop computers, the PC4 and the ABC286-30, 
have finally recieved FCC class B approval. These same computers are currently 
selling in Canada, with the PC4 carrying a retail price of approximately $1600 
American (the ABC286-30 is slightly higher).

=====

WORLD OF ATARI AT DISNEYLAND

     The World of Atari Home Entertainment and Computer Expo will be open to 
the public at the Disneyland Hotel on April 7th and 8th, 1990. The hotel is 
located in Anaheim, California, and reservations can be made by dialing 
1-(800)-842-9034.
     Ads for the show procliam displays and demonstrations of all Atari 
products, including the 130Xe and the XE Game System. The STacey lap-top will 
also be exhibited.
     The World of Atari at the Disneyland Hotel in California will be the 
biggest Atari show and sale in the United States. Admission is $7.00 for both 
days.

=====

HAVE A REVOLUTIONARY FEBRUARY!

     The following is a short overview of the REVOLUTIONary calendar for 
February. If you'd like to see the complete calendar, or learn more about The 
REVOLUTION, "The REVOLUTION Handbook" is available for download on many Atari 
BBS's across the country. If you can't find it, you can send $6.00 for an 
ST/STe/TT/Mega compatible diskette to:

The REVOLUTION
c/o Artisan Software
P.O. Box 849
Manteca, CA 95336

January 28 through February 3, 1990 NATIONAL "GO TO A BARR" WEEK

February 4 through February 10, 1990 NATIONAL GOODWILL WEEK

February 11 through February 17, 1990 NATIONAL PRESIDENT'S WEEK

February 18 through February 24, 1990
NATIONAL USER GROUP RECOGNITION WEEK

February 25 through March 3, 1990 NATIONAL CAR WASH WEEK

=====

DRAM PROJECT FAILS

     An attempt to regain American control of the DRAM market has failed, and 
it looks like the market will be controlled by the Japanese for some time to 
come.
     After the DRAM drought of 1988, IBM, Digital Equipment, Hewlett-Packard, 
Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, National Semiconductor, and LSI Logic formed 
U.S. Memories, Inc. U.S. Memories planned to create a billion dollar 4-megabit 
DRAM plant to challenge the current Japanese dominance in the marketplace.
     U.S. Memories failed to attract any major investors, and announced that it 
was giving up on the operation on January 15th.

=====

That's just about it for this issue...

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

Thanks for your Support!!!!

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

Special Thanx to the following people who have helped make BZ a success: Dave 
Drust, Stan Lowell, Jack Lee, and Jerry Morton.

> ===============================
> = COMING SOON: =
> = The PsychoTronic! BBS =
> ===============================

  / -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- /
  / PLEASE submit articles! /
  / See the SUBMIT.TXT file!! /
  / -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- /

Support The REVOLUTION!
        _______________

BetaZine is published bi-monthly by The PsychoTronic Authority. "BetaZine", 
"BetaZine - The On-Line Magazine", and this issue are (C)opyright 1990 by Mike 
Mezaros. All Rights Reserved.

BetaZine is an independent, free periodical not affiliated in any way with 
Atari Corp. ATARI is a trademark of Atari Corp. All references to Atari 
products are trademarked.

=====end of BZ#3=====
See you in February!!
---------------------