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From: wrd@tekigm2.UUCP (Bill Dippert)
Newsgroups: net.micro.atari
Subject: Re: I hope this reaches someone
Message-ID: <324@tekigm2.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 21-Dec-85 18:35:00 EST
Article-I.D.: tekigm2.324
Posted: Sat Dec 21 18:35:00 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 25-Dec-85 00:30:29 EST
References: <8512182332.AA05869@ucbvax.berkeley.edu>
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 47

> Hi.
> 
> This is my first attempt at participating in this info service. I
> Hope someone confirms receiving this.
> 
>  I am a new Atari 800XL owner.  Here in Israel, the 520ST hasn't been
> released, so all I know about the Amiga and the 520ST is what I read
> in some magazines and on this forum (???).
> 
> Also, today I was in Tel Aviv searching computer stores for answers
> to an interesting question concerning MICROSOFT BASIC II.
> 
> It supposedly comes with a book, a cartridge, and an extension diskette.
> the cartridge has 16K of memory, while the diskette carries 3.5K.  I have
> a diskette which, I was told, has ALL Of MICROSOFT BASIC II on it.
> 
> I don't understand what is going on here.  Why didn't ATARI  release
> the whole package on a diskette? Was this to prevent copying? Can
> MICROSOFT BASIC II work totally on diskette?  The only OTHER explanation
> I can think of is that the 3 1/2 K extension diskette is supposed to be
> copied as a set of file management programs (like DOS and AUTORUN etc.)
> But again. I DO NOT KNOW, and no one here can seem to tell me.  I hope
> this isn't too terribly amateur for you folks.
> 
>                      Rsmagrud@WEIZMANN.BITNET

I cannot answers your other concerns but since I have the Microsoft II
software, I can help you with it.  First of all the cartridge is full,
therefore Atari put some additional commands on the disk (such as TROFF and
TRON, etc.) however, you can use the cartrige by itself.   There was an earlier
all disk version that was not as complete as the cartridge version.  

As far as putting the cartridge on disk, there is some hardware out to do just
that, but I do not know what it is called.  I suppose that you could do this,
but to what advantage, I do not know.  I personally prefer cartridges -- the
computer is set up to use cartridges  anyway, there is memory allocated for
the carts.  

I hope this helps you, maybe some other Atarians can help you out.  By the way,
another good BASIC language is BASIC XL or BASIC XE (depending on whether you
are using an 800XL or an 130XE.  As I understand it you can use BASIC XE on an
800XL -- this is one that I have not purchased yet.  ACtion! is also good, it
is a cross between C and Pascal.  Again I do not own it, so others could
probably answer your questions better on these two language carts.

Bill Dippert
tektronix!tekigm2!wrd