On-Line #64 08 декабря 1996

Пресса

Presentation - Presentation of new magazines: Oberon 2, Spectrofon 21.

             PRESENTATION

(C) OLDMAN

              OBERON # 2
            (C) STARS OF KELADAN


   Complex feelings I felt after reading this recently
pop e-zine made in Samara ... Think
finally there is another professionally made magazine
(When I say "professional", the mean sufficient
level of feed material, and not having a diploma of a special 
way able to compete with Spectrofon'om and ZX-Format'om. 
Authors (five men, three of whom actually are well-known (in 
Samara) hacker group Stars of Keladan) clearly has received 
secondary education (judging by the not very large number of 
errors), are able to competently present their own thoughts and 
... has a terrific conceit! Very interesting review novelties, 
angry and controversial, but no less interesting answer 
Chamberlain ... Sorry, Spectrofon'u (if anyone remembers one of 
recent issues of the last was published and accompanied by 
commentaries response aforementioned hackers to my article 
"Hackers - are people too "). In addition, the magazine can be 
found another scheme correction INT'a; section Likbez 
"dedicated novice programmers and their heavy-handedness and 
uselessness reminded my favorite pieces of music correspondent 
ZX-Format'a Capitan'a Nemo; read the next edition adventures 
Shtirlitsa in computer world; two letters from readers and 
advertising shop Yourself ", and also many useful (without 
irony) tips for programmers - both beginners and accomplished.



   It seems that all of the magazine is good, but how he made 
me angry! And not hitting a Spectrofon, to the creation of 
which I am certain respects, these are nothing new - each fresh 
(and not very much) an electronic journal is committed to 
several times to kick the unfortunate "pioneer of electronic 
media" before you tell your readers something stunning and 
extremely useful that has become boring ... 


   But that has met for the first time - the authors quite 
seriously consider themselves professional programmers, with 
almost the only professional among other amateurs pee 
protsedurki in assembler. Several times in one room met 
perfect. And what do you think Stars of Keladan reinforce its 
coolness? Think fancy shell? Uh-uh! The slowest I've seen of 
how to print, tedious podzagruzki, simply shabby appearance 
reading room. The menu, however, looks nice, but the level of 
coding has nothing to say - flying, excuse me, the stars ... 
and even shake something ... In short, shell I have not 
considered decent - everything seems to work but the brake and 
buggy. 


   And maybe even where our "professionals" had proved 
themselves to be? "Land of Myths" brought to mind? And why a 
128-th mode is not adapted? Balanced game, you say? But who in 
your setup will understand? That it was difficult by the 
optimal options to choose to divide them by levels of 
complexity? A conclusion sprites - the main glitch the game, if 
not accelerate, then at least to synchronize with the screen 
was too lazy? Or poorly? I really do not talk about that left 
the file system podzagruzok. Do not recall and about mocking 
the introduction to the game, because here everything is clear 
- snobbery in our "pro" in the blood ...



   Now, Empire 128, included in the supplement to the journal. 
If we are could not adapt to the disk in 48 KB (actually, to 
work with enough disk 2 of 3 dozen bytes - the driver can make 
and loadable, surely Elite 3 you learned nothing? In addition,

judging by the intro, the game is up to you has already been 
diskovizirovana certain ABK), then, having on hand as much 
memory do have You do not have enough fantasy (skill) in some 
other way to improve the toy, even if the sound output on AY? 
Well, what it is ... 


   On the other adaptations of famous hackers say anything
I can not - I know about them, some have even seen, but can not 
remember, but the latter speaks for itself (but not sclerosis) 
... 


   I also say nothing about the alleged self-development by 
hackers: WinWord (well at least not Corel Draw !...) - text 
editor, working with graphics and Trace Doctor - program up and 
restore disks. He did not see them. Although looking like a 
line by line printed text Oberon'e, not sure at all so I want 
to see this very WinWord. A That's another hacked hacker group 
"Speed ​​Co.", sponsored previous fellows on the journal, the 
"Star Legacy" I do a lot What "good" might say, but confine 
myself to the following: firstly, to distribute fully working 
version of the domestic game such a high level to put it 
mildly, ugly, and secondly, to put your copyright with the 
author's close only because the disk driver is altered under # 
3D13, and the game itself is slightly skompressirovanna just 
ridiculous. 


   So, what the authors of the journal reinforce their skills
programmers, if they are programmed, as it turned out, not
know how? It turns out that education - they now have a 
specialty "circuitry ... but can work as simple programmers 
"(interestingly, the faculty was called?) Comments, as they 
say, are unnecessary, but I still can not keep ... Let me give 
a more complete definition of the user and lamer: user - a 
person who does not possess any special knowledge and aware of 
this report, and lamer - user, a little brush up, but I believe 
it reached the top coding and screaming about it at each corner.



   Understand, Oberon, nobody forbids you rightly criticize 
inept geymmeykerov or the activities of some traders or 
publications, no one even stops you assume themselves as 
geniuses, and all the other mediocrities. But if you do not can 
prove their worth with competitive products, accusations 
lamerstve you can not avoid ... and anyone else do not say that 
the complexity of the restoration and adaptation of foreign the 
game is comparable to writing your own ... not necessary ... 
laughed at. 


   This is how ... Yes, if you think that everything I wrote 
above, serves one purpose - to convince you in any case not buy 
this magazine, you are deeply mistaken - buy and read. Read and 
try the equally turbulent emotions! Anyway, after reading lean 
Speccy or hopelessly stupid Spectrophoby nothing but boredom 
does not feel, however, before these books I'll get ...



   Appendix:


   Peking - a logic game.


   Spectrofon 666 (Swood of MSHG) - extremely silly parody
Spectrofon, cobbled together some Losers (though mildly)


   Empire128 (Firebird) - vector space letalka probably a good 
idea. 


   Elite 3 (Firebird, luggage) - all familiar, broken yet
Titus'om, but now works at Scorpion'ah (bednye. ..) and
drives D.


   For each toy, who entered the application, the magazine is 
more (!) Description. 


               SPECTROFON # 21
              (C) STEP

   Run and buy.


   It is worth saying a few words about the content ... Happy 
owners Profi find a complete description of all the ports of 
your machine. A less happy, as far as I know, the owners 
Scorpion'ov several correct yourself up by reading the full 
documentation (connection setup, programming) to finally gone 
on sale SMUC - universal controller for peripherals, and if 
easier - this is the same thing through which you can connect 
to your Scorp'u Winchester, and later, possibly, CD-ROM. In 
addition, they both find in the annex two Commander, adapted to 
the extended memory. 


   The log pile of interviews with, unfortunately, not edited
Spectrofon'a and not from domestic celebrities. All these 
translations of ancient and relatively recent articles from 
Western journals, but translation quality, and the article is 
very interesting. For example, You will learn that the authors 
of many games on other platforms use the ideas of the old 
Spectrum toys (I knew it!), However, perhaps it was a joke. No 
less instructive interview with Sinclair and Singltonom. 


   Gamers also do not lack attention: transfer of copyright
descriptions RPG Dark Sceptre, an overview of new toys and 
small, not dare say, Matveeva essay on the topic of rebirth 
glitches game Elite in its non-deterministic features. 


   In the new category "Workshop" is open competition on 
computer graphics and has presented very good screens. And 
under the heading "Cache" (have not seen it ...) made public a 
few tens of CHEATS and POKES. Looks like I got a rival ... Using

case, courtesy of my editorship ON-LINE, let
little appeal to the author of the above headings: Sergei, I
certainly not offended that you've described some of the found 
me branded CHEAT'ov, you are absolutely right - ON-LINE can not 
read Everybody ... I even know why - one of the badly running, 
but shustraya a trading company monopolized distribution of 
programs for the Spectrum in some parts of the vast country, 
and our paper does not respect and refuses to sell. 


   Residents of such places, according to some confusion still
using the services of this company, frankly I can advise
have the courage to connect to alternative traders.
Still possible to get an IBM or at worst AMIG'oy with a modem
register with any network and connect with us - you'll
completely free and practically on the day of receiving fresh
Room ON-LINE! But back to "Cache." Secret combinations
keys to facilitate the passing game (new definition! All
Copyright:)) - this is certainly great, but the feasibility of 
publishing POKES I have is terrible doubts ... Well, not I know 
somehow it's not civilized, and besides, there is no guarantee 
that will work. 


   That's all that I wanted to say about the content. About
shell did not speak because he did it, but a compliment ... and 
especially to curse ... 


   Appendix:


   Dark Sceptre (Mike Singleton) - RPG.


   Last Hero of the Light Force demo (Delirium HG) - yet 
another demonstration of toys such as "Return to Home 4", the 
demo is was in the 19-th issue of SF.



   Text-Designer v1.0 (Sirius Group) - a program for viewing
text with well-developed service output pixel by pixel, but 
buggy (as in iS-DOS'e), a small buffer.



   SuperCatalog v1.12 (Sirius Group) - cataloger.


   Dune demo (Turbo Space) - yet another demonstration of Dune, 
on This time, very bad. I do not know what the author hopes? 
Because hedgehog understandable that Perestroyka toy better at 
... And yet. You that "geymmeykery" quite sdureli - stolen 
music paste?! Could not we find another way out? For example, 
without any music to do.



   Inertia demo v1.2 (Digital Reality) - beautiful music
player. Visual effects. Playback controls. Supports 4 formats 
(I have not tried, but I believe the guys from DR). 

                        Dmitry (OLDMAN)
                        ZXNet: 095/100.1