From: Brad Webb Date: Sun, 03 May 1998 21:33:44 +0500 Subject: Newsletter iReal name: Brad Webb iDate of birth: 28-Oct-1946 iDescription: Husband iHomepage: http://www.globaldialog.com/~bandr/ ====================================================================== _ __ _ <>_ __ _ || /\\ |\ /|| || / ` /\\ || A M I G A U P D A T E /__\\ | \ / || || || ___ /__\\ || -News and Rumors- / \\_ | \/ ||_ _||_ \__// / \\_|| (An Occasional Newsletter) BACK FOR THE FUTURE || ====================================================================== AMIGA and the Amiga logo are trademarks of Gateway 2000, Inc. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 980503 I R C C O N F E R E N C E M A Y R E V E A L F U T U R E C L O S E D D O O R D E V E L O P E R M E E T I N G - W O A W O A S E M I N A R S N O M O R E G A T E W A Y 2 0 0 0 ! M U S H R O O M S A N D 5 T H D I M E N S I O N A N I N V I T A T I O N F R O M J D W T O A S T E R / F L Y E R A T A M I G A 9 8 A M I G A S E C U R I T Y P A C K A G E B I T Z ! I N B E L F A S T W A R P U P R E L E A S E 3 N E W S H A P E S H I F T E R B A T T L E D U E L A V A I L A B L E W I N G N U T S - T H E G A M E Editor's Thoughts and Introduction: First, don't panic over the no more Gateway 2000 story - it's only a name change. We just couldn't resist the headline. We suspect the upcoming World of Amiga in London could be the biggest thing that's happened to the Amiga community in years. It has the potential to be one of the biggest milestones in the Amiga's life. Read the first few stories in this issue, and you may just agree with us. Let's hope we're not disappointed this time. While WOA is getting a lot of attention, and justifiably so, don't overlook the upcoming Amiga '98 show in Canada. This promises to be a super event and a lot of fun for those who can get there. We have a few other interesting things to keep you reading happily for a while also. Enjoy! Brad Webb Editor ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I R C C O N F E R E N C E M A Y R E V E A L F U T U R E 3 May 98 Posted by Per Jonsson I have taken the best part from the news conference which was on 2 may 98. It was rather long so I figured more ppl would read it if I took out the most interesting parts {and presented just them}. Some Participants {and their real names:} onebit = Joe Torre {of Amiga, Inc.} fleecy = Fleecy Moss {of ICOA} thoughts = Derreck Lisle {of Amiga, Inc.} (I think the above is right) ... [TA] We are here today to help people understand what each of of our groups do and how they relate to the future of the Amiga There are some BIG plans in the works!!! ... [Bitb] Are newer versions of Amiga OS going to support retargettable graphics as standard eventually, in the long term? Obviously we won't be using AGA chipsets on many more future Amiga's will we? [onebit] We wont be calling it RTG anymore, for one. AGA will, for those who need it (Titlers, Toasters) exist, perhaps for years more, but we are indeed moving on to graphics that will be better than "standard" once again. You will be very surprised at how this is logically being done. ... [frotz2] ok, first i have to say i'm disgusted by that response from fleecy, i've heard "we'll know the answer at the next big amiga show" for a few years now. here's my question... Why is AI so silent in terms of announcements and plans when this silence has caused many people to leave the platform entirely? [TA] Frotz, we are dealing with a different industry now. Any leaks could seriously jeapordize a plan in motion. [thought] To clarify what TA said, there are bahemn certain large companies who would really like to see us fail. [fleecy] Frotz2 - actually, the only place you have heard that is from Petro - AInc have not said anything because they have had nothing to say. They have taken their time because they have looked at the whole industry, the whole Amiga history and the future of the global computing and digital revolution - in a depth that would blow your mind - they want a solution that will LAST - at WoA they will announce it. [onebit] I wish I had been bmoren silent about my FAQ! but that was then, this is now. ... [NightSpd] All to often in the modern OS we see operating system services bridge over into so called "integrated applications"... where does AT plan to draw the line on such integration? Will a TCP/IP stack become standard? A text editor gadget? A spell check? Will AmigOS always fit in a 2 Meg ROM and a 5 Meg partition? GA ... [TA] Guys, you are asking some pretty technical questions that may not get answered today. [fleecy] I just want to clarify here that I am here as an ICOA rep - whilst Olsen, Alain and me have done contract work for AInc, we cannot talk about it here. [onebit] Listen to Fleecy here. Our solution will indeed last a long time! Future permant accesss to our(my) Amiga programs and data is one of my prioritys. I will NOT stop using Amiga software. ... [fleecy] I know it has been VERY frustrating for the whole community but GW2K is a huge company and as such, they do things very slowly, infuriatingly slowly but when they decide to move, they move - that will be at WoA ... [onebit] When GW2K moves there is a big momentum, and wake. Be prepared! ... [Merko] Will there be a clear plan regarding the future of Amiga presented at the WoA? Type of platform, method of backwards compatibility, who will make what etc? Not details but the big picture? GA (ps, drop that "2k" onebit! ;) [fleecy] Merko - yes - everything will be answered - direction for OS, developer support, new HW and schedules [TA] ALL technical questions will be answered at WOA May 16-17th! ... [Bitb] Do you think we'll see a low-end A1200 replacement with updated technology, as well as the Power-user Amiga at the top end? The market needs both, right? GA [fleecy] bitb - I think we'll see a range of computing and digital services products for all areas of the market. AInc wants partners - it knows it can't do it all on its own and it knows there are many out there who don't want to use a MS technology as the basis for their product. GA ... [fleecy] Morden - AInc runs Amiga Development - but they are a wholely owned subsidiary - the plan has existed for ages but the funding had to be released by the parent company - convincing the GW2K board of directors has been a major task - that has now been done (as of last week) ... [fleecy] PAmiga - I can' tell you anything about the announcement except that it will answer all the questions being asked (and generate a hell of a lot more) - the Press Conference is open to Press, there will be an announcement and demos/info at the AInc stand - the Developers conference will be closed but details will go up on the ICOA website. GA ... [thought] Unlike past management, AInc doesn't want to say anything until they can guarantee it. GA [fleecy] NightSpd: as I just said privately to Frotz, AInc recognises that the most important thing it got when it bought Amiga wasn't the technology, it was the community. That's why it is working with the ICOA, that's why the developer support program announced at the WoA will fully enable the ICOA and AInc will take its place - the developers ARE the future farmers growing new apps jsut as the users are the future consumers who'll buy them ... [fleecy] The wait and see tactic is one we have privately been advocating for a few months. Now the plan has been okayed, AInc are talking to the big players (or will be over the next 2 weeks) - the developer support program will be announced at the ICOA meeting and sign ups will start - the hope is to get developers coding within 3 months ... [Jkay] Please tell us that you know why Motorola has withheld 68060s from the market, and that it will be re-appearing soon. I dont want info on secret talks or contacts with Moto .. just tell me someone asked and got a positive response. GA [TA] JKay, I know that 060's have been in short supply. The reason is that Moto is working on some 060's with more mhz. All I can say. ... [TB] 1: I heard sometime ago about the chance of AI getting a new building in the states. Any news on this? [TB] 2: Whats AIs 'non-official' stance on using already existing Amiga talent? [TB] 3: Whats The present groups position on communication and co-operation between each other, e.g. JMS to ICOA, ICOA to TeamAmiga etc. [TB] 4: Keep up the good work guys :) [onebit] TB1: Yes, and in a GREAT location. TB2: You cant stop Amiga Talent! GA [onebit] TB4: is the answer to TB3: Keep up the good work! GA [onebit] ...damn got to tin my soldering iron again.... [Womble] TB3: We've been co-operating with ICOA and keeping in close touch over the past year. [fleecy] TB : 1 - very good, 2 - they hired Joe and Darrick, contracted Olsen, Alain and Me, talked to Carl and RJ, 3 - ICOA has Gary as Press Officer (TA), Ben (JMS) is on ICOA, I am in JMS GA ... ***** (This is nice /per) ***** [seal] 1. Most amiga users are very disillusioned atm. No news is bad news. On a scale of 1 to 10, how bhonestlyn mind-blowing is the news at woa expected to be (1=new stickers for our windoze k/boards) (9=new pc beating base architecture & incorporate pc 3rd party h/ware eg 3Dfx 2). '98 is make or break. thanks. GA [onebit] I'd say a 7 then in a year a 10! GA ... *** (nice too but.../per)**** [Zanity] Whats happening about bringing industry standards to the Amiga. Alot of people who've left the Amiga who'd like to return say they CANT till they can do Industry standard work at home on their Amiga. What is ICOA/AI doing about bringing these standards to the Amiga which even macs ;) have? ie. ICQ,Shockwave,a working/released JAVA VM, RealPlayer, even Photoshop. bACTIONn Mitchman gets a warm, fuzzy, feeling bACTIONn fleecy gives Zanity the gold medal for seeing the future.... ... [Jkay] "is this an announcement of your plans in full glory, or an intermediate announcement to keep users happy" [TA] JoJon, I think this will be 'good' news, not scraps or handouts. [fleecy] Jojon - the plan is ready, GW has ok'd it, it is the time to announce it - believe me, if it wasn't ready, AInc wouldn't be announcing it ... [fleecy] They are big companies working on MS, PC, Unix and Consumer Electronics - you would recognise them pretty quickly if I mentioned them - it is not that they have Amiga specific apps, they want a change, they want a new standard, a more responsive, easier to code for platform that doesn't put them under the MS heel - they came looking plus behind the scenes, such disgruntlement is well known - lots of informal contacts ... [Jkay] For those people not here from the beginning, there bwilln be a series of earth-shattering announcements made by Amiga Inc, and the support groups in attendance here in 14 days at WOA in the UK. ... [KarlosI] Personally I feel that it is AI that should set the standards and resolve the differences between P5 and H&G!! It is not the customers resposnsibility, because the longer it persists the more damage it does! Any comments? And I think many here are growing tired of AI's wait and see let them resolve it attitude...the time has come for AI to take some action, will AI consider this? [onebit] We are going to set some standards allright. We arent waiting and seeing, we were researching and developing, partnering & planning. GA ---------------------------------------------------------------------- C L O S E D D O O R D E V E L O P E R M E E T I N G - W O A FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AND DISTRIBUTION 30 April 1998 The Transitional Steering Committee of the ICOA wishes to announce that there will be a closed door Developer meeting on Saturday 16th May from 10:00am - Noon at the WoA show. The first quarter of an hour or so of the meeting will be taken up with the ICOA alert report, and then the floor will be given over to Amiga Incorporated representatives for a set of presentations and a Question and Answer session, fully revealing the roadmap for the next 2 years or so, including information on the Operating System, new Hardware, support through the ICOA and new market opportunities for a revived Amiga. Amiga Inc have indicated that any developer, commercial, share, hobby or academic who cares about the future of the Amiga, and who will be at the show, should plan on attending. For those unable to attend, a full transcript will be prepared as quickly as possible and posted to the ICOA website. As the meeting will be closed, the TSC asks that any developer or ICOA member wishing to attend should email fleecy@netreach.net OR register at the Amiga Inc stand at the WoA on the friday or early saturday of the show. There will be security on the door so please register as soon as is possible to avoid disappointment. The wait is over!!! Gary Peake Press Officer Industry Council Open Amiga ICOA ---------------------------------------------------------------------- W O A S E M I N A R S AmigaSoc Announces Tentative Schedule For WOA Seminars In Hammersmith We have recently published a tentative schedule for the seminars that we are organising on our web site (p[7]http://uk.amigasoc.org/p[0] in the WOA '98 section). We've had our fair share of problems getting this thing off the ground, but rest assured that we're doing our very best to make sure it all goes smoothly! We will have presentations from: Kermit Woodall (of Nova Design) Paul Nolan (author of Siamese/Photogenics) Mick Tinker (of Access Innovation Ltd) Joe Torre (of Amiga Inc) Marc Albrecht (of Albrecht Computer Technik) Don Cox Markus Nerding (of Haage & Partner) Jeroen T. Vermeulen (author of Merapi, the Amiga Java VM) Steve Jones (of HiQ) Make sure you keep an eye on our web site as changes may still occur to the schedule. Many thanks, Andrew Elia ---------------------------------------------------------------------- N O M O R E G A T E W A Y 2 0 0 0 ! 24 April, 1998 PC-maker Gateway 2000 has taken steps to address its own peculiar version of the millennium bug by dropping the '2000' from the end of its name. The company is due to announce today a change in branding strategy that will also include a redesigned logo with less emphasis on the iconic cow imagery currently associated with the company (see right). It has already begun making the change across its company Web site, although references to the old branding are still in place throughout the site. Observers had suggested such a change was likely in the lead-up to the year 2000. A press briefing on the change is scheduled for today. One problem for the name change may be in registering local Web sites. While the main domain p[7]http://www.gateway.comp[0] is controlled by the company, the Australian domain name p[7]http://www.gateway.com.aup[0] is owned by Gateway Online, a Web site development company which has designed sites for Tradegate Australia and TNT International. Gateway's Australian Web site is currently at p[7]http://www.gw2k.com.au.p[0] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- M U S H R O O M S A N D 5 T H D I M E N S I O N 24 April, 1998 Mushroom PD has now signed up to start distributing 5th Dimension titles in the USA, as well as F1. This makes Mushroom PD one of the largest Licenseware distributors in America. All titles in both software ranges are sold at quality prices that everyone can afford, and we cater for all kinds of software, such as games, utilities, childrens programs & more! While I await my master disks, I have set up a webpage with some information, and a selection of demo programs to download and try immediately. The URL for the page is: p[7]http://www.mushy-pd.demon.co.uk/5d/index.htmlp[0] Feel free to download and spread all of the demo's to whoever you want. Some of the demo's have screenshots readily available. You can choose to download via HTTP or FTP to suit your own needs. I have an FTP server of my own in which you can log into to download. Simply log into mushy-pd.dyn.ml.org as anonymous, and go into ipubnware5d/ and download to your heart's content! As soon as my master disks arrive, I shall send another mail out. In the meantime, if you have any questions, you can email me at mushypd@redrose.net or call me at home on (717) 367 6210. All demo's will also be made available on the Tusk BBS in the next day or so. Thank-you Andy "Mushroom" Kellett ---------------------------------------------------------------------- A N I N V I T A T I O N F R O M J D W April 24, 1998 JDW Developments would like to issue an invitation to shareware and commercial authors. We are now accepting submissions for Amiga Shareware and Commercial software. JDW Developments was established in 1987 as a software development firm. We have always used Amigas in our efforts to provide local business people with inexpensive, yet powerful software options. In 1995 we began to handle mail-order for smaller clients. On April 19, 1998 it was decided that we would help budding Amiga developers get their shareware products to market, and have access to various payment options. We can accept credit cards for mail orders. We are extending our services to you with only very small fees. And we provide other promotional services as well. Please contact us for more information: Jeffrey D. Webster jweb@primenet.com JDW Developments ---------------------------------------------------------------------- T O A S T E R / F L Y E R A T A M I G A 9 8 April 27, 1998 International Amiga 98 is pleased to announce that many Toaster/Flyer specific events and exhibitors have been added to the show! Not only will you get a chance to meet Newtek, the creators of the Toaster/Flyer, but a large turn-out of Toaster/Flyer third party companies and instructors! Bill Evans of Prowave will be exhibiting and showing the Prowave range of Toaster/Flyer products and Bill will be hosting training classes as well as a free seminar on third party products for the Toaster/Flyer! Newtek and instructor Paul Lara will be holding classes on ToasterPaint Secrets and how to Master ToasterCG showing you many tips and ways to get your work done quickly. Newtek will also be sponsoring a Toaster/Flyer tips class and a class on integrating Lightwave with the Toaster/Flyer as well. Jeff White of Visual Inspirations will be exhibiting the all-new volume 4 of his award-winning VisualFX series for ImageFX and Lightwave and will have many other products such as Decision Maker, Control Tower and more! Bill Panagouleas will be demonstrating the all-new release of VCE's Pyromania, the fire and explosion effects CDROM, for the Amiga with it's high resolution effects and special Toaster features. Andrew Powell, renowned Amiga cartoonist and animator will be holding classes on creating cartoon art and animation on the Amiga! Nova Design, Inc. will be there exhibiting the brand new release of ImageFX, version 3.0, with full support for the Toaster/Flyer and providing training classes on ImageFX as well. All this is in addition to all the other classes and the exhibitors showing all of the other new developments in software and hardware from all over the world! Resellers will also be carrying the Toaster/Flyer at their new, and much lower, prices! The excitement is growing! There are many other special events and other plans to come! For more information, visit the International Amiga 98 web site at p[7]http://www.randomize.com/ia98.html.p[0] INTERNATIONAL AMIGA 98 in Toronto Pre-registration for admission cut-off is MAY 10th!!! $ 10 with pre-registration $ 8 with pre-registration if a member of Amiga Related User Group (must state user group name in company name prompt in order to get this deal) AND at cashier at show, to provide a membership card, email or something that states they are a member of that particular user group. (To support user group membership) At Door, not Pre-registered - still a deal at $15 All prices in Canadian currency 2 day passport. IA98 Training Classes are additional IA98 Training Seminars are included See "Events and Sessions" on the website for more info. If you are a member of CUCUG (AWD), you get a simply unbeatable deal of $5 -MUST Pre-register Using CUCUG or AWD in "Company Name" section when pre-registering. ALSO show your membership card to the cashier when at the show. And this is a 2 DAY PASSPORT!! INTERNATIONAL PLAZA HOTEL & CONFERENCE CENTRE IS BRIMMING TO THE TOP! The International Plaza Hotel is almost completely booked! We have arranged for additional accomodations at: Radisson Suites, across the road (1-800-333-3333) * Continental breakfast included; hairdryer & iron in room. * Morning Paper included >/ul> and Delta Hotel-just down the street. (1-800-268-1133) (A more direct line for the Delta is 1-800-668-1444 (right to the hotel, the other # is for their head office) Book now! (MUST) Ask for "INTERNATIONAL AMIGA 98 RATES" at all hotels, to get IA98 special rates. Prices only guaranteed til May 4. Filling up fast. (after that you take your chances) : ) Enjoy! P.S. (hotels have shuttle services to/from Pearson International Airport, you may want to ask them about this. More info on website including maps etc.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- A M I G A S E C U R I T Y P A C K A G E FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 1 1998 - Amiga Solutions wishes to annouce the impending arrival of a security package for the Amiga. It's working name is MULog, and we believe that it has a lot of potential. It well be offered in two versions: MULog Full Retailing For NZD $25 MULog Lite Retailing For NZD $15 Dependant on the success of this first release will decide on whether we continue development to include more features such as: TCP/IP support for networks Built-in E-Mail OS replacement features For more information visit Amiga Solutions at p[7]http://www.enternet.co.nz/client/personal/bensalt/p[0] and follow the link to the software development page. A Demo version will be available for download about mid-May. The competition is for deciding a name for MULog as it is only the working name. Visit p[7]http://www.enternet.co.nz/client/personal/bensalt/name.htmlp[0] to read what it is about and enter the competition. Many thanks Amiga Solutions NEW ZEALAND ---------------------------------------------------------------------- B I T Z ! I N B E L F A S T 3 May 1998 Bitz! is a new hardware company just opened in Belfast, Northern Ireland that deals exclusively in hardware and software for PC and Amiga users. We offer our customers value for money with a high level of customer care and after sales support. We are presently looking for people who are interested in joining our mailing lists. Every week we send out an email newsletter listing current offers on Amiga related products and Amiga related books. You are under no obligation to buy and your email address is strictly confidential. To join our list, send an email to amiga.offers@bitz.clara.net. All we need is your email address (although your full name is helpful !) Roderick Thompson Technical Director The Bits & PC's Store Ltd. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- W A R P U P R E L E A S E 3 WarpUP Release 3 - The Challenge Dynamic Multitasking For the version 14 of the WarpOS the multitasking-kernel (the scheduler) was completely written new. WarpOS V14 now supports dynamic multitasking, which is well-known from UNIX workstations and also from the AMIGA-software "executive". With this feature now also the AMIGA-User comes to first-class multitasking! The most important features of the new WarpOS scheduler are: * There are no more static priorities supported, instead the distribution of the CPU time is made dynamically. Every task, may it be ever so unimportant, gets his time to run. This means, there is no more the situation where a task with a high priority blocks all the other tasks from being processed! * Tasks, which have a low activity, will get for a short amount of time a high priority and more CPU time, if they come to action again. With this feature, interactions of the user are processed more quickly, even if the PowerPC is heavy stressed. The starting of a new task with a stressed PPC processor consumes only minimal time. Now also the times are over, where the user had to wait a long time for starting programmes when the system was stressed! * The importance of a task now can be changed from outside (like the priorities). With this feature you can set the CPU time a task should get. When running multitasking jobs you can regulate the speed of a task! This is easy to demonstrate with the STORM-MESA-demos * The scheduler now makes extensive statistics over the various tasks and over the whole system. These values can be printed with the "stat" tool. For each task the CPU usage, the activity and some other parameters are printed out. * Some new tools were written, which make the handling of the WarpOS tasks easier, eg. a tool called "killppc", with which you can kill crashed WarpOS programmes. The hardware-driver-system The new WarpUP has got a new structure. Now WarpUP supports a hardware driver system with driver-libraries ("warpHW.library"). For each PowerPC hardware there is needed a special driver to use WarpOS with this hardware. Every driver is different and can be used only with the associated hardware. In the actual WarpUP package are driver-libraries for the following hardware: * CyberStormPPC * BlizzardPPC * Phase5 Developer Board This driver system allows every manufacturer of PowerPC hardware to write his own driver, through which WarpOS automatically works with the new hardware. In the WarpUP package there are all instructions and a sample project included, that are needed to write such a driver. This hardware driver system leads to an even greater independence of the hardware and of course we hope, that the above list will grow soon! Support of the BlizzardPPC hardware WarpUP now also supports the BlizzardPPC hardware. But the usage of WarpUP for BlizzardPPC hardware users is a little different than it was with the CyberStormPPC. A great difference between the BlizzardPPC and older PPC hardware is that the "ppc.library" from Phase5 is in the ROM of the hardware and is opened immediately at boot time. The problem is, that the WarpOS canīt run parallel to the "ppc.library", therefore you had to reboot, if the "ppc.library" was active and WarpOS was intended to be used. This canīt be done anymore, because there is no way to stop the "ppc.library" from being activated. The only possibility to run the WarpOS is to try to remove the "ppc.library" and all the associated resources from the system. But this isnīt done automatically. The first requirement for the activation of the "Terminator" feature is to set the environment variable 'powerpc/Terminator', which can be done with the added installer script. If now WarpOS is started there appears a requester, which asks the user, if the "ppc.library" and all itīs associated resources should be removed from the system. The user can accept this or cancel the boot sequence. In this case the "ppc.library" still remains active. The "Terminator" feature can of course also be used with the existing PPC hardware, which has the advantage that you havenīt to reboot your system, when changing from ELF-software to WarpUP-software. If the requester are annoying you, you can remove them. To do that, you have to set the environment variable "powerpc/HideWarning" to 1. It has to be said, that if now the "Terminator" feature is enabled, the "ppc.library" is removed without warning and under some circumstances you donīt even notice that. So be warned to use this feature. If there are still problems with WarpOS and newer PPC hardware (especially with newer Flash-ROM versions!) please contact us, so that we can work out a solution. Error-correction and detail improvements The release 2 caused problems on some systems, which are due to the extreme little stack of the RAMLIB. This problem is fixed now, therefore WarpOS now also runs on systems, which had this problem. It has to be mentioned, that the "powerpc.library" V7 has also profited from these changes and should run now even better. The V7.2 is included in the actual WarpUP package. Besides an error was corrected, which was responsible for the problems which appeared when WarpOS functions tried to allocate huge memory blocks. This was obvious in the bSTORM-MESAn demos if you enlarged the window. When creating PPC-mirror-tasks, in the case that the 68k-task is a CLI-background-task, the name of the started program is taken for the name of the PPC-task, instead of the process name. This leads to the situation, that the WarpOS-tasks are easier locateable in the task-statistics, because the name of the started program is contained. This only works, if the programmes are started with "run". Developer-specific The documentation of the WarpUP-API is now available in the Autodoc-format and also in the AmigaGuide format. The prototype-file was extremly restructured for a better support of alternative compilers. The StormC specific parts was excluded into a separate file. Now there is also an FD-file for the "powerpc.library" available. The new tool "throw" allows it to interrupt WarpOS-tasks from outside, if they are trapped in an endless loop. Therefore an instruction-breakpoint-exception is called when the task is activated by the scheduler. With this the developer can find the reason for the problem, because in the crash-requester there are many informations regarding the crash. With the new function called "GetHALInfo" you can get informations over the WarpUP-HAL. At this time you can find out, how many emulated alignment-exceptions are caused, since the starting of WarpOS. These exceptions appear, if the PowerPC tries to address floating-point values, which arenīt located at an address which can be devided by 4. The WarpUP-HAL (the "warp.library") catches these exceptions and runs an emulation, this happens completely transparent for the WarpOS (this is implemented since the first version). So no application, which supports WarpUP, has to bother about this, because for them these problems simply donīt exist. But the occurrence of these exceptions should be minimized to keep performance high. The new function "FindTaskByID" allows it to find tasks by their ID number. With the new scheduler there were also introduced ID numbers for tasks, which can simplify the usability. The functions "SetScheduling" and "SetNICEValue" can help to modify the multitasking with the new scheduler. With "SetNICEValue" you can change the so-called NICE value, which defines the importance of a task (something like the old priorities). Now it makes no difference on which side inter-CPU-messages are set free. In the case, that it is done by the CPU, which hasnīt allocated the message, there is made a context-switch, so that the release is made on the right side. With that a better transparency for the programmer can be reached. An important step in the direction of "resource tracking" was made: now every memory, which has been allocated but has not been set free by a WarpOS-task will be set free automatically when the task ends. Many thanks to Mario Klier for the translation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- N E W S H A P E S H I F T E R 29 Apr 1998 TITLE ShapeShifter VERSION 3.9 AUTHOR Christian Bauer DESCRIPTION ShapeShifter is a multitasking shareware Macintosh-II emulator for the Amiga and DraCo computers. It allows to run Macintosh software concurrently to Amiga applications without hardware add-ons or modifications. Some of the emulation's features: - Supports MacOS 7.1 thru 7.6 (8.x will come later, sorry) - Color display up to 256 colors on AGA Amigas (16 colors on ECS) and up to 16.7 million colors on graphics cards - Accelerated graphics with CyberGraphX/Picasso96 - Support for one or two monitors - No MMU required, even runs on A1200 - Macintosh hard disks can be simulated in Amiga files or Amiga hard disk partitions [unregistered version has no hard disk partition support] - Can use Amiga floppy drives, serial, parallel and SCSI ports from the Mac [use of SCSI not possible in unregistered version] - Mac HD disks can be read directly with an HD floppy drive, Mac 720K disks can be used with any Amiga floppy drive. To use Mac 800K disks, you have to own CrossMAC and an original Mac drive. ShapeShifter also supports the Catweasel controller. - 8 bit stereo sound output (sound cards supported via AHI) - Sound input with parallel-port sound digitizers - Access to Ethernet networks - Simple networking between two Amigas with PLIP - Text clipboard sharing between Mac and Amiga - File handler to access Macintosh volumes from the Workbench - Speed comparable to a real Mac with equivalent hardware The most important changes in V3.9: - Can boot from CD-ROM - FileDisks are faster - Some fixes in the serial and CD-ROM drivers - Ethernet packets are always padded to 60 bytes SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS OS2.1, 68020 processor, 4MB of RAM, HD floppy drive recommended. A copy of a Macintosh 512K or 1MB ROM and the Macintosh system software are not included, but required. The ROM can be read off of a real Mac by using a supplied program, the system software can be bought from Apple. Note, however, that reading the ROM is only legal if you have bought the ROMs or own a real Macintosh. AVAILABILITY p[7]http://www.uni-mainz.de/~bauec002/ShapeShifter3_9.lhap[0] Aminet sites: imiscnemu/ShapeShifter39.lha Next Generation BBS, Germany (ShapeShifter support BBS) Port 1: +49-261-805012 (Zyx19.2/ISDN) Port 2: +49-261-84280 (V.FC) PRICING The requested shareware fee is DM 50,- or US$ 40. Upon registration you will receive a keyfile that enables the disabled features (SCSI and hard disk partition support). DISTRIBUTABILITY Shareware (DM 50,- or US$ 40 requested) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- B A T T L E D U E L A V A I L A B L E 24 Apr 1998 TITLE BattleDuel V1.7.85 AUTHOR Jochen Terstiege Michael David Marco Seine DESCRIPTION BattleDuel is a game like 'Artillery Duel' on the C-64: Two players fight against each other with cannons placed in a windy mountainous landscape. To hit the other they change the power and angle of the cannons. A duel is finished if one of the cannons is totally damaged. Some features: - up to 8 players - computer opponents - normal duel mode, 2 tournament modes, practice mode - team mode - ECS/AGA/Graphicboard support (only one program) - network support: nullmodem, modem, parnet and TCP/IP - nice graphics and sound effects - full multitasking - OS friendly - support for public screens NEW FEATURES - CyberGFX and Picasso96 support - new graphics with 128 colours for graphic boards - complete localization - team mode with four cannons - tournaments with 8 players - program restarts automatically after changes in the preferences - information requester ("i"-key) - synchronisation test (network mode) - fade effects when program is started/quit - sound-channels can be swapped - volume is adjustable - initial cannon angle for each player - opponents settings can be hidden (network mode) SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS - Kickstart 2.0 - Flicker-fixer or graphic board recommended - 1 MB chip memory AVAILABILITY Aminet and mirrors p[7]ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/game/2play/BattleDuel.lhap[0] (1839418) PRICE Shareware fee of $15 US / 20 DM DISTRIBUTABILITY BattleDuel is Shareware! Copyright (C) 1998 Jochen Terstiege, Michael David, Marco Seine ---------------------------------------------------------------------- W I N G N U T S - T H E G A M E 24 Apr 1998 TITLE Wingnuts VERSION 1.0 RELEASE DATE 20 April 1998 AUTHOR The Skunkworks (p[7]mailto:skunkworks@anakin1.demon.co.ukp[0]) (p[7]http://www.anakin1.demon.co.uk/skunkworks/p[0]) DESCRIPTION So what is Wingnuts? Well, bluntly stated, Wingnuts is the most popular combative sport watched and played on the planet of Holy Doobie. Each week millions of fanatical fans tune in to watch as the six pilots are strapped into their heavily armed contraptions, cheering thunderously as they take off into the arena and fly their dance of homicidal death. Their objective is brutally straight-forward - destroy the opposition and remain the last pilot in the air. REQUIREMENTS * AGA Amiga. * 68020 processor. * Hard drive. AVAILABILITY Wingnuts can be downloaded from: * p[7]http://www.anakin1.demon.co.uk/skunkworks/Wingnuts.lzxp[0] * p[7]ftp://ftp.uk.aminet.org/pub/aminet/game/actio/Wingnuts.lzxp[0] (1M) Or any other Aminet site. PRICE Recommended shareware fee 5 UK pounds. DISTRIBUTION Permission is hereby granted to re-distribute the archive as long as the archive and all the files within it are not modified in any way. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Amiga Update on the net: some issues available at: p[7]http://www.sharbor.com/amiga/news/p[0] (in html format) Australian Mirror Site: p[7]http://www.comcen.com.au/~paulm/index.htmlp[0] All back issues available (in ASCII text) at: p[7]http://www.globaldialog.com/AdventureCentral/AU/index.htmlp[0] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 1998 by Brad Webb. Freely distributable, if not modified. ====================================================================== _ __ _ <>_ __ _ || /\\ |\ /|| || / ` i\\ || Brad WebbnAmigaUpdate /__\\ | \ / || || || ___ /__\\ || bandr@globaldialog.com / \\_ | \/ ||_ _||_ \__// / \\_ || ======================================================================