Interview - "Sega for the games, the Spectrum for the soul" Grigoriev (OLDMAN).

                 INTERVIEWS



   SEGA - for the game, Spectrum - FOR THE SOUL

Interview with "restorer" on behalf of the Oldman


   Today our guest is Dmitry Grigoriev, editor in chief of 
electronic computer newspaper ON-LINE. Encoder, aka Oldman. An 
ardent defender of human hacker, author of some remixes of 
foreign programs ... 

Q: When and how did you come to the Spectrum platform?

A: When I was a hobbyist. Once
I was given a refurbished computer
Atari. I did not gave the owner six months
citing the numerous breakdowns.
In fact, I just became interested in programming. At Atari, I 
wrote my first program in BASIC. It is not surprising


it was a perpetual calendar. But then the car
yet been taken. A bit later I bought a computer CD. Worked on 
it a year and half fully studied BASIC and assembler. Written 
by three games. Once they brought me repair the Spectrum. It 
was my first acquaintance with him. After some

time, I bought a Spectrum to drag with him the schedule on the 
CD. I must say, I have long remained a patriot BC. But Spectrum 
eventually went on the first place. I began to engage in 
burglary and adaptatatsiey foreign games for TR-DOS. In

those days it was fashionable. Many probably remember the lines 
of "Cracked by ..." or "Disk version by ..."


Q: What is their job to Cpektrume you consider most successful?

A: Well, first of all, this project is an electronic newspaper 
ON-LINE. Remixes from games - OUTRUN 3.



Q: And from the application?

About: Sample Tracker, which was published in
Cpektrofone. You can add that I have
had its own work, but I do
best not think so. I prefer the modernization of popular 
programs. May think that I'm lazy (laughs). 

Q: Could you say a few words about
newspaper ON-LINE? It is well known that one of the reasons for 
the creation of the newspaper was a disagreement with the 
"political" line magazine Spectrophone. And yet, what could you 
add to that? 

A: Actually, at that time wanted to create an alternative 
publication, which has a look at certain moments computer

life. By the same newspaper - it is a more rapid source of 
information. By the way, his line newspaper has maintained to 
this day. 



Q: At one time in the environment of Moscow spektrumistov been 
suggested that the newspaper ON-LINE become boring, 
uninformative, and etc. What can you say about this bill?


A: I must say that I did not set out to
please everyone. But I agree, some rooms were really of little 
interest. But that is to say, the costs efficiency. I can not 
postpone the release of of the newspaper only because of what I 
currently do not have interesting materials. Have to be content 
with what is at hand. But there is one thing - low (at times), 
the activity of readers and authors of the paper. 

Q: Now your newspaper is distributed
Inforkoma channels. You're giving up on its distribution?



A: None. All published issues of the newspaper referred to the 
Inforkom free. Links ON-LINE - free information magazine, and it

written on the last page in each
room. Although, of course, this does not mean that
Inforkom will be free to distribute it to all
comers. But I think the price for a floppy disk
more than one edition will be small.

Q: And how about numbers on the same disc?

A: About 20, but in general, all published numbers are placed 
on two diskettes. One compressed newspaper is

approximately 100 sectors on the disk.

Q: As you have said you wrote to BC
three games. And why do not you write
game on the Spectrum?

A: To create a good game need a team: the artist and musician. 
Need a good script, story. I work mostly alone. 

And the financial incentive, too, did not prevent
would ...

Q: But Inforkom buys the program at
authors ...

A: I could write some logical toy, but do not want to do the 
work for which I will then be ashamed. A big thing for Inforkom 
unlikely I will propose amount that will suit me. That's why I

involved in creation of remixes of foreign
games. At the same time, I did not leave feeling
I'm writing my own game. Take this matter very carefully. And 
do not trash. The complexity of such works, of course, less 
than the creation of own game, but I'm working in my

pleasure. Actually, I'm not sure
able to finish something big and long. And most importantly - I 
am a hacker. After need the same to someone and do it.




Q: You think so? And maybe, after all
better to write something different?

A: Everyone must do what he
does best. I do not think that
all played enough in imported toys, and now prefer to only 
domestic. There are a lot of imported games that are in 
terrible condition and should be restored to at least pass 
through. By the way, I do not share the enthusiasm of authors 
of electronic magazine ZX-Format, for the fact that most of the 
St. Petersburg hackers re-classified in the game-makers. I am 
sure many will agree with me: to show domestic users 
remanufactured Little Computer People, or Captain Blood 128 
more prestigious than produce games like Fiveteen's, The Turn or

Color Balls.

Q: Speaking of Tetris. I do not think that
author Tetris ashamed of your game ...

A: Personally, I play this kind do not like to write and I do 
not want and I will not. But frankly - Tetris - is a great 
idea, and if I would ever think something like that, then maybe 
I am ... will give it to someone else.


Q: What games do you like?

A: Either "scary smart" or "terribly beautiful".

Q: And the genre?

About: Feature, in principle, irrelevant. But I prefer arcade 
game. I love, so to speak, moving sprites around the screen. I 
do not like text games. 

Q: Okay. What have you been playing recently
time? If you play, of course.

A: Currently I play Desert Strike at SEGA.
Well, in the UFO-2 on the Spectrum.

Q: And how do you these games?

A: Actually, Desert Strike, I was finishing. The game is not 
bad, but too few levels, and easily traversed. Especially if 
play with Cheat mode. I think this game type would look good on 
the Spectrum. A now NLO-2 Mednonogova, of course, much

interesting. It is a pity that this kind of games consoles, 
almost none. 

Q: What is the question I asked?

A: Hmm ... Something like: "How much do you want
for this interview? "Or:" What I tell you
should? "

In: O `Okay. How much do I owe you?

A: Yes, okay, its people - are numbered.

Q: Okay. We assume this is an interview with a registered. How 
an electronic newspaper ads 


ON-LINE. Now you look our prices on custom promotional articles 
... 

About: ON-LINE as AMIGA needs no advertising.

B: Oh! (Ceasing to delve into the rates).
Sick for some of our readers the question: how do you feel 
about your computer AMIGA? Disputes about him going ...


A: I have for him does not belong, I have it in
never seen. And talk about
around the platform, I will say that I do not understand those 
who so zealously praises this machine and opposes its IBM PC.

On the IBM PC and millions of these sitting in my opinion,
says it all.

Q: Thank you. Short and sweet. And now
talk a little about the network ZXNet. Is it possible to
say that you stood at the origins of
this network in Moscow?


A: Read the ON-LINE. There are in every room
Lists of Moscow Spectrum BBS. The newspaper has always 
supported this network. Although, in Lately, I've been using a 
network of rare and exclusively for business correspondence.


Q: A material on the network no longer come?

A: They come. And ZXNet and on the Internet, in
who has access to our network.

Q: Is there a way to FidoNet?

A: Because the C-DOS modems are not compatible with
common models that are used in other networks, it requires
station gateways. And the creation of such stations
more difficult and, in
First of all, everything depends on people.
Communication with the Internet have managed to establish by 
Alexey Ivanov (ALEX) - the regional coordinator network ZXNet. 
Now solve the problem of connecting ZXNet to Fido. Need a 
system operator station gateway. 

Q: I hope that people will respond by reading this interview 
... Somewhat unexpected question. Where did the nickname 
"Oldman"? 

A: In those days, when my hack works have proliferated, the 
question arose a pseudonym. My wife and invited alias Oldman, 
as the thought that I - "Only an old fool who spends his 
precious time on some kind of Children's Computer. "The whole 
night I tried to prove to his wife that the Spectrum - a real 
computer, it is worthy of attention and adult. The decisive 
argument was that the Spectrum does not require large

material costs ... A nickname I
liked and since I subscribe
Oldman.

Q: How old Oldman `y?

A: 27.

Q: Well, not so old.

A: In addition, also no fool.

Q: How do you imagine the future of the Spectrum?

A: I represent, or would like to submit?

Q: Well, more specifically - what to expect,
In your opinion, the Spectrum in the near future.

A: It seems that the Spectrum will soon turn into
kind of "monster" with a bunch of all sorts of tricks by which 
he would suffocate. 

Q: So you think that the Spectrum does not
must "get out" beyond the 128th model? Because it would no 
longer be the Spectrum? 

A: I see nothing wrong in building machines for professionals, 
with extended memory, etc. All this will facilitate the work of 
programmers. But the standard should remain the 128th machine. 
And all the software need to write for her. In general, it is 
not a 

amount of memory. Just Spectrum Spectrum should remain, and not 
drift into towards other platforms.


Q: And finally - the traditional question.
Your creative plans? What will you do in the near future?

A: The Remixes games, the newspaper ON-LINE ... I'll write 
system programs. There is a desire to write a good and 
convenient text editor. 

Q: And what editor are you working on now?

A: The ZX-WORD'e. He has all the necessary features to create 
text files. In addition, he is fast and reliable. 

In: A text editor, Is-Edit? In my
opinion, this is the best editor for the Spectrum.

A: I never used those function
mi, which it has. For the final
word processing I use another computer. A ship several times a
day operating system, IS-DOS me lazy.
In addition the editor in use-Doce awful
slow and buggy. Incidentally, the same story with
Editor-in CP / M on the Profi. So I have the desire to create 
comfortable, A powerful and fast text editor that runs on 
TR-DOS. I hope that someone ahead of me.


Q: One wish. Number of features of the editor must be at least
not less than EC dosovskom editor.

A: How do you like auto-correction
text?

Q: Excellent!

A: In short, wishes uchtu.



Q: Well, good luck! And thanks for
interview, I hope it got interesting.

A: The same hope.

Q: Thank you for your attention!



                 Interviewed by Yury Matveyev.


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