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From: cbbrowne@watnot.UUCP (Christopher Browne)
Newsgroups: net.micro.atari8
Subject: Re: ATARI 800 and ATARI 800 XL
Message-ID: <11953@watnot.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 11-Aug-86 14:42:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: watnot.11953
Posted: Mon Aug 11 14:42:03 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 12-Aug-86 01:21:50 EDT
References: <139@uwmacc.UUCP>
Reply-To: cbbrowne@watnot.UUCP (Christopher Browne)
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 51
Summary: 

In article <139@uwmacc.UUCP> pwu@uwmacc.UUCP (Peter Wu) writes:
>---
>What's the difference between the 800 and 800 XL other than the
>built-in basic? About half of the games I have that worked on
>the 800 doesn't work on the 800 XL at all. Is there any way to
>fix this?
>
>peter

There are several things that could cause the games not to work.  (It would help
if I knew which ones they are - There are a few programs which will not work on
an XL, period.  But most can be corrected).

     When Atari brought out the 1200XL (this is useful history, I hope), they 
created a new operating system, which includes the self-test (which did not
exist on the 400/800 - there was a 'memo pad' instead), and software to detect
the Help key, and other new 'Function Keys' (which do not exist on 800XLs, but
still show up in the self-test.  If you look at the keyboard test, there are 
several keys which do not exist).  They moved some routines around, which meant
that some software written for the 800s (and which was written WRONG - the
routines really should not have been used because they were subject to change)
does not work.  People started to notice this, and felt the need to correct the
problem.  Atari made a "Translator" disk which makes an XL think that it is an
800, and ANTIC and ANALOG magazines have both created Translators which they
claim work better than Atari's version, and various companies have offered
Translators which are probably superior to the magazine versions.  I would 
suggest that you look at users groups/public domain libraries to find one.  
Atari has allowed their version to be distributed in the public domain, and
software from the magazines is usually fairly easy to get.  Whatever you do,
don't pay more than $5 (if someone is selling it).  These Translators are 
generally quite effective, and any software that doesn't work with them probably
will not work on an XL at all.

     Now, I gather that a pretty fair proportion of the programs will not work
with the 800XL.  If it's more than 1 in 10, then I think that the problem is
probably that you are not disabling BASIC.  As you have mentioned, the 800XL
has Basic built-in (this is a truly advanced and amazing feature :-) ).  To run
many programs, one must disable Basic (ESPECIALLY if it is a game requiring
48K).  One does this by holding down the OPTION key as one turns on the
computer.  Timing is not critical - just push OPTION before you turn it on, and
let go when the computer seems to be doing something useful - like loading the
program.  Holding it too long won't hurt.  Not enough - start over.  (If you 
know this already, I apologize for hand-holding.)  This is a simple problem to
deal with, once you know about it.  Unfortunately, as far as Atari's
documentation is concerned, it's rather obscure.  Obscurity is not new to them.
I do not use any of their documentation for this reason.  I go elsewhere.

I hope that some of this is useful, and even (gasp!) informative.

                                       Christopher Browne
                                       University of Waterloo