Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!torsqnt!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!mephisto!mcnc!uvaarpa!murdoch!astsun8.astro.Virginia.EDU!gl8f
From: gl8f@astsun8.astro.Virginia.EDU (Greg Lindahl)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: STE DMA sound (documentation posted)
Message-ID: <1990Mar4.191533.329@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
Date: 4 Mar 90 19:15:33 GMT
References: <37193@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> <1990Feb27.230234.8875@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> <48ef7e01.14a1f@force.UUCP>
Sender: news@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU
Reply-To: gl8f@astsun.astro.Virginia.EDU (Greg Lindahl)
Organization: Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia
Lines: 54

In article <48ef7e01.14a1f@force.UUCP> covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) writes:
[ discussing the books that you can get about programming the ST... ]

>Where's the beef??
>
>Well, for one there is the still the fact that no NEW ST book has
>been published in the USA for 2 years.

And GEM and GEMDOS haven't changed much in the past 2 years, either.
Let's see, TOS 1.4 added one new GEM call, and changed the file
selector? Yes, it's nice to see more comprehensive documentation come
out, but it isn't *necessary*. Your ability to write GEM programs
hasn't disappeared because there aren't any new books describing the
old calls.

>And the fact, that even Greg admits, that you can't buy *ANY* ST book
>in the major bookstores.

Right. But the complaint I've seen here so far is, "Atari should bring
out docs because the ones we have are shit!" Atari bringing out docs
won't put ST books into Waldenbooks. Only bigger sales of ST books
will put ST books into Waldenbooks. The problem you have with ST books
is the same one you have with ST software and ST peripherals.

>Greg, are you on a paid retainer by Atari Corp??

No. Someday you might learn that people can disagree with you without
being paid by the evil opposition. I criticize Atari Corp about a lot
of things, but at least I make sure I'm not spewing hot air when I
make a criticism.

>But where do you go for info on programming for GDOS?? GDOS is one big
>black hole as far as Atari Corp is concerned. It isn't covered in any
>C book that I have.  And programmers are all having problems writing
>GDOS printer drivers.

GDOS calls are documented in my version 1 Abacus book. The major
problem with them is that they aren't labeled as such. However, it
seems other programmers haven't been unable to write GDOS
applications.  GDOS printer drivers I have not seen documented, but
allegedly Atari sells such documentation. I'd love to see 3rd party
documentation about this. Definately a small hole that needs filling.

>So, where's the beef?? I would answer "In Sunnyvale!!"

Amazing how we can take the same facts and come to a different
conclusion. Maybe now you understand why I like ZNet a lot better than
I like ST Report. And why I read the Washington Post instead of the
World Weekly News.

Have a nice day.

Greg Lindahl
gl8f@virginia.edu                                  Astrophysicists for Choice.