> I have seen much talk of GEnie as a good source of free software. What is
> GEnie? Can I get there from here? Are we in Kansas anymore?
GEnie is an information network operated by General Electric (the
U.S. company, not the U.K. company.) GE has a packet data network
used by big businesses. GEnie takes advantage of that network to
offer cheap access rates at nights and weekends. There are GE
Information Services nodes in most major cities in North America.
Basic service is covered by a $4.95 monthly fee; for that you get
no-extra-charge access to a huge selection of consumer-interest
roundtables (writing, cooking, automotive, etc.). Computer-related
areas and downloadable files bring an extra charge of $6/hour. Online
multiplayer games, such as the Air Warrior flight/dogfight simulator,
cost $6/hour.
The Atari roundtables on GEnie are officially sponsored by Atari
Corp. and Atari personnel regularly answer questions there, as do
many commercial software developers.
Since GEnie gives you a very nice free automated access program
called Aladdin, you don't need to spend much time in the pay areas;
Aladdin moves through them quickly and grabs all the new messages so
that you can read off-line.
Here is GEnie's signup procedure. The phone number should be good
anywhere in North America. I don't know how the Brits get access.
1. Set your communications software for for half duplex (local
echo) at 300, 1200 or 2400 baud
2. Dial (toll free) 1-800-638-8369. Upon connection, enter HHH
3. At the U#= prompt enter XJM11718,ALADDIN and press return.
Then follow the online instructions. You'll need a credit card for
billing.
> Also, I am interested in beggining programming for the ST. Can anyone
> recommend a good book on the subject or are there text files out there anywhere
> that could get me going?
Text files: The ``Pro GEM'' series of columns from Analog magazine
are available for downloading from various BBSes. I think they're on
atari.archive.
Books: ``C-Manship Complete'' is available for $19.95 U.S./$24.95 CDN
direct from Taylor Ridge Books, Box 48, Manchester, Conn. 06040 USA.
It's a reprint of Clay Walnum's tutorial columns from ST-Log
magazine.
There are several other good books, mostly out of print. I like
``Atari ST Application Programming'' from Bantam, which you may
occasionally see for sale here on the network. Watch for it.
---
Steve Yelvington Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota, USA
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