Miscellaneous - Mailbox.

                                         
       LETTERS FROM READERS.       
                                         
(C) 2000 Max/Compu-Studio Ltd           
-------------------------------------------------------
 There is no sadder story in the world,
 than the one about buying Speccy.
                                         
   Review of mail for the past year after you
progress of the second issue of my magazine. Add-
Lena comments that came in response
on "Mission Editor"and "Black Raven. But-
new Missions"to the game by Vyacheslav Mednonogov.
After finishing the layout of all
article, then I realized that I didn’t succeed
as much review of letters as reasoning
on the topic of the development of our computer and technology
current state of affairs. Well, it’s good that it’s so -
It’s not right to talk about this topic again
interferes.                                  
   Let's be the first to read a letter from my constant
a reader from the Kharkov outback Vya-
cheslav Panin:Hello, Mikhail!  And also hello
to everyone who helps you! Unfortunately this
again me, and not some cool coder,
bringing benefits and headaches to the surrounding
pressing, with their intricate programs
and not fancy ideas. After unpro-
long thoughts (about writing
or not) I decided to write after all, because you
you're leaving Speccy. Reflections led
to the "scales" - i.e. it turned out on one bowl
"platform", and on the other - a person. Immediately
and all hesitation disappeared. And therefore I am writing this
opus.                                    
                                         
Max: Screw them, coders! I would like to have a normal
chat with small people. Don't be complex
on this occasion - I am always glad to see you!     
                                         
   Finally reading the magazine. The point is
that I received it a week and a half ago, on
Saltovsky radio market in Kharkov
no.  There, at the market, I heard the opinion
"specialists", by the way, respected (at least
least mentioned in some publications then
in a group, then separately), about "Black
Crow #2." Quite unflattering, they say no
nothing new, etc.  It's too much to argue
became, because I know what happens to such people
you have to argue with a voice recorder or at worst
stop writing down their arguments on paper. For
will deny his own words, or
overyou'll have to deal with the same things
several times. At that time the magazine itself
I looked briefly, but for some reason again
I can't say anything bad.  Everything
starts up, works, there are a lot of useful
nogo, although they will object - to whom what.          
                                         
Max: you can't please everyone. The main thing is that you
Be and many others liked it!            
                                         
   I look at the screen and can’t believe my eyes.
Heard!?!  Read to the point! And it happens
such!  Maybe this is due to a lack of mail?
But what's the difference?               
                                         
Max: you are heard! Indeed, we have such letters
We always love to read (ESMI editors). No
no difference in the reason for publication
yours and other letters. The main thing is interest
new content! The rest is water.        
                                         
   THOUGHT OUT LOUD OR LA-LA WITH YOURSELF.    
                                         
  -Who will read it? The magazine seems to be
"covered".                           
  - Yes, at least the editor himself. The first
I read it, and where is one and the second message?
tion. He'll take it apart, cut out the nonsense -
mud... It is in the headings, for example:+----------+                
      +------+  review  +---------+      
      |      +-----+----+ |      
 |            |              |      
+-----+-----+ +----+------+ +-----+-----+
| programs | |  letters  | |  log, |
|   + and -  | | good | | editor |
+-----------+ +-----------+ +-----------+
                                         
   Then expand the topic, preferably calling
to start a discussion, because in a dispute they come to
agree and more...                        
  - You have some multi-layered thoughts,
looks too much like cut-down content
reading almost any magazine. Do you know how it is
called? Isn't there a lot of text?     
  - Then article, keel so 15, so that no-
what not to miss, and its compressor.     
  - Think about what you propose, on the thought -
article, that way you’ll never finish with the answer.
vol.  And the magazine, by the way, is not for
you alone.                             
  - Well, at least a little idea.After all
worries, stirs the soul, what if someone
will come in handy.  Indifference is a vice, what are you talking about?
forgot?                                   
  - Yes, I haven’t forgotten anything. Where did you get the idea?
that THIS is interesting to someone, that THIS is new
The truth is that THIS is a remedy
distortions in the brain that...              
                                         
   Stop, split personality again. Ver-
a significant sign of schizophrenia (they say). And semi-
It doesn’t take long to make such a diagnosis, if
how to knock on the keyboard.                    
                                         
Max: welcome to our club...     
                                         
   Let's continue: after all, no matter what he says or
suggested - g l u x o. Everyone's on their own mind
with seven spans in his forehead. Well, okay, otherwise
who will think that they want to sleep on it
or warm your hands in our coming century
thimbleberries. Yes, it all failed! Everything
there will be more free time.      
                                         
   So, or something like this, having reasoned,
put aside the pen and paper, leaving without
attention to the work of the same people. Who said
what will bream throw now? I didn't guess!
                                         
  Have I made you, reader, despondent? Nonsense
that's all.  Click on the scroll and you will see for yourself,
that the devil is not as scary ashe is being painted. 
                                         
                  DREAMS                  
                        Dreams come true  
 and do not come true...
  (words from the song)
                                         
      A selfish, small dream.      
                                         
   I wish I could boot such a fuck, which at
launching in TR-DOS, not only the presence of pa-
wrinkles, pendants, bells and whistles, but also their co-
melting, and at the same time integrity and safety
I checked the contents of the disk.  Let it be
will take time, it's still cheaper than
destroy disks - thinking that the computer is working and
everything is fine. (I'm only impressed
what about repaired.)              
                                         
           Dream - wish.            
                                         
   People!?  Write more often your creations not with
Buduna, after feasts, parties, eat..,
otherwise the impression is that the thing worked
reluctantly, between beers, the real "pa-
flow" on the slipway. Not even tentravel
programmers. And who will boast of being bug-free?
with other programs - generally no more than 5 ad-
res.                                   
                                         
     A global, impossible dream.      
                                         
   If only the publishers of magazines and newspapers (48K
- this is a newspaper, not a magazine) got rich and
fucked Pentiums, various scanners, modems.
You look - and the publications will really become
monthly. And everything that follows from this -
I won’t describe it, everyone can use their imagination
to the extent of development.                       
   Then we, the users, will have
have at their disposal entire collections of subpro-
grams (time-tested and accepted,
as standard) to create your own plans
mok, and not to rediscover Africa. Yes and
they will be needed only by the “crazy” and the “irrepressible”
nym", for the rest - programs, reference
nicknames, tutorials, etc.             
                                         
    There are thoughts on distribution.     
                                         
   Here's one: cash on delivery or deposit
squeak. It’s cheaper to pay 1 hryvnia more
author than along with the road to radio-
no one knows for 3-5 discs. But how
evaluate nerves, time, faith in people and their
decency? And how to identify decentmanufacturers?                          
                                         
             TRANSITION TO IBM.             
                                         
 Why is everyone who buys IBM almost
do nothing for Spectrum? Maybe them
after sweets, I don’t really like sour things
no.  What a fool I am, so many pennies
ditch these "bicycles"! Or maybe
no, because what time is it for the kids and himself
busy with an interesting activity.  I counted -
Ofonarel - I would have already bought four.        
   Many people who have switched to PC often hear
There are a lot of unflattering words addressed to you. NOT ON-
PAY ATTENTION TO THIS! Because he condemns
only those who envy you with bad envy,
not wanting to rejoice with you,
treating you as having betrayed your own.
Maybe that’s why people have no desire to return
turn to the past. Further arguments are given
I won’t bother, it’s too late, and therefore: US-
PEKHOV HAVE CROSSED OVER! GOOD WORK!         
   Sincerely, always greedy for new and
kind (like everyone), who wishes everyone
health Panin V.V.   March 18, 1999.
                                         
Max: These are the letters my good one writes
friend Placed here almost unchanged
and almost without correction. What can we say?
Slavik is right, as always. To all the "scribblers" and
"programmers" who failany market
nonsense, you should listen to the words of the usual
new Spectrum user and make a co-
relevant conclusions. But what am I talking about? And
no one will perceive anything the way they want
it would be impossible, because many authors suffer from childhood
sky star diseases, many in general
prone to paranoia. But the overwhelming pain
Most people write software for themselves or for others
same psycho-loners, like themselves. And opinion
the public is not interested in them. The main thing is rulez
from his point of view. Indeed, only
units take into account the opinions and wishes of people
dey "from the outside" or the final consumer
And the whole country knows these heroes.       
                                         
 Another letter, this time from the capital
Donbass. If the opinion of the previous person
as some “advanced” individuals can
perceive as the delirium of a collective farmer, what
you will say after reading these lines -
mi:                                      
               "If the stars light up - 
 so someone needs it!"
                                         
 I'm not a fan of ESMI -
 in them to meinteresting
 only Help`s and announcements,
 because I'm not advanced
 spektrumist.    From games
 I include mainly countries
 tags like "Crow", "12
 secret books", "UFO" and
 etc., but the main time
 work on Speccy is under-
 prints documents

 kov (mostly also
 work). But in your journal
 it's deep on me
 made an impression
 article about computer life
 of the yuter. Indeed:
who needs what this person does at night
sits at the ZX, and real life goes by
mo?! And women walk around in droves!At first I wanted to just slam the keyboard
aura on the monitor - to put an end to
with his moral inferiority and computer for-
one, at the same time singing "para-po-women-
it's time for women..." But then I thought about it...
more deeply. And I came to the following conclusion:
mu: but, damn it, it’s for someone
necessary! If, for example, Mr. Maximin
ko created, in fact, "Crow-2" and three-
ner of the national team of the Donetsk region, as
boy, runs three times a day
mail for his product and the postman swears
on for a delay if the same coach is
years (!) cannot do without editors
IS-DOS, also created by someone, and the documents
mentation of his team, instead of
gather dust and rot in the archives of the club, accu-
is stored in archivers for a long time, too
created by someone - SO THIS IS NECESSARY! A
if your personal life sometimes doesn’t go well, then
why not replace the night watch with "sur-
horned reality" (quote from an article in
"Vorone-3").  By the way - an anecdote (life-
ny!!!) about the trainers:                      
                                         
   Returns from ANOTHER commanders-
ki, say, to the National Championship, say,
foil trainer. Opens the apartment door
ry, takes off his shoes, goes into the kitchen for a drink
water. There is silence in the apartment. He's on his tiptoes
walks into the hall... into the bedroom... and freezes
at a loss: onbeds - two pairs of legs.
Turning on the lights, the coach shouts well done
in a lazy commanding voice: “Darling,
Who is this?!!!" The sleepy woman's answer was his
says: “Mu-mu-husband...”                   
   - And then who am I?!!                   
   “And you are a coach,” she will answer.         
                                         
   The moral of this story is - normal
a woman is unlikely to agree to commit life
with a person who for weeks, if me-
for thousands, he doesn’t see.  And Speccy, of course, is not
fuck you, but after a hard day communication with
it certainly relaxes (mentally,
of course).                                
       MEANS SOMEONE NEEDS THIS!!!       
   This means Speccy and its software
provision.  Here is the answer to the author. But
in many ways he is right. Unfortunately...        
                                         
Max: how do you like THIS? The person who wrote in
journal these lines, more than serious and
his opinion, you see, does not look like
the babble of juvenile idiots who are content
but are often expressed in different, for-
often in publications created by them. Which
is this man's path to the Spectrum?    
                                         
   Everyone has their own path to Speccy. U
he was a little funny to me. 10 years oldago, languishing for days from idleness in
trains along the way from one fencing
tournament to another and watching with envy
for young sportswomen, I kill with passion -
for hours in the compartment in Tetris, I decided for myself,
regardless of age, buy this tsats-
ku, which is what Khmelnitsky did in the Central Department Store.
I brought it home. Well, you know! We've been at home since old
brother a couple of months after only
discussed who had how many levels and at what level
I finished the game last night. He's from his shift at
slaughter instead of sleep - a couple of hours in Tetris. I
- from the gym that smelled of sweat and emotions -
la, - also for Tetris. Time has passed. Tet-
rice has become too much for my heart.                
   And then the idea arose to take the simplest
computer instead of Tetris and someone suggested
lived to take us "Vesta" with an oak keyboard -
swarm. Vzali. We played with the cassette player. Interesting.  After a couple more months it cooled down
My typewriter was malfunctioning. Master said
- repair 25 hryvnia (translated into current
Khokhlobaksy, then there were millions of coupons
new).  My brother and I added a little and
We bought a used printer to replace the typewriter.
D-100. However, it turned out that there was not enough for him
software on cassettes and
then we took the disk drive. However, he didn't want to
work with Vesta and had to buy
"Synthesis" and expand its memory to 128.
When it all worked, I wanted
put AY because play in silence
not interesting.  So she came outchain: tetris
-> Vesta 48 -> + printer -> Synthesis 48 ->
Synthesis 128 -> + disk drive + AY.           
                              Zhabrov O.M.
 fencing coach and teacher.
                                         
Max: age, unfortunately, is not specified, but
Apparently the man is an adult. Those who
vying with each other to shout that Spectrum is dying, and
They probably don’t know that besides them there are more
a lot of people who love Speccy and for
of which this machine has become an additional
the meaning of life. Remember: Spectrum is alive until
as long as you turn it on. As soon as
when you forget it on the far shelf -
That's it - he's dead. But only for you!!! Everyone
the rest still need and use it!
                                         
   Now let's move on from serious mail to
funny. All odes of praise addressed to me,
as well as to the address of the magazine, I omit from
review, because  this is not interesting to you, and
no need. I just want to mention BLAZ from
Novorossiysk, who was shocked by the
I'm glad that I single-handedly made SUCH a magazine.
What do you think of his new version? I also like
I liked it. But let's get back to the mail. Followingletter from the Kharkov region from the group
Real Soft Makers:                        
                                         
   This happened in the summer of 1999. I, as used
the tinny Spectrumist was then engaged in active
activities on a thriving payment
form SPECCY.Wandering almost every day
from one Sinclairist to another, I exchanged
communicated with them the information that was
dil in different ESMI. I have one product
risch is an informal rocker musician, and also
spektrumist in the embryonic stage, in general
- USER. Squeezing out fifty dollars from mom and dad
(50 hryvnia) he decided to take a ride in
Kharkov, in order to buy a couple of fresh
disks.  Because I was scared, it's a bummer
buy a ticket (I'm an honest person) and
to go to the same Kharkov, I, having taken it out of the
a dozen loose reserves, gave it to the unformed
lu, and also wrote a list of necessary
go software.  Overflowing with naivety, I
included in the list "BLACK RAVEN 2". Generally
Well, I learned from an informal person that he is all
finally got to the Kutuzov radio market,
found a distributor X-PROJECT, who
where I buy soft and provided a list.
Distributorin turn will provide
fork the required discs. Informal rocker doesn’t pay attention
Kaya, in essence, went home satisfied.   
                                         
   So I call him and ask, they say,
did he buy me "BLACK RAVEN 2". Pre-
expecting to hear the answer "no", I deeply
I was surprised when he says that "ChV2" has
him on the table. Well, I, leaving everything, rush to
him in the hope of seeing that long-awaited
Mednonogov’s miracle (well, naivety ;-).
In general, after half an hour I was already sitting at his
computer and held disks with fresh
Kim software.  Finding "Black Raven" in the pack
2", I began to look at it. It was
You can clearly see that it is on two disks. Time
"ChV1" on 2 disks, then "ChV2" even more so.
On the sleeve of the first disc it was written
"B2.1", on the envelope of the second - "B2.2". Well,
I think, is it really “BLACK RAVEN 2”?    
                                         
   With trembling hands I insert the first disc.
into the floppipe and with cold fingers I type in
TR-DOS RUN and ENTER. Both!!! Flop guide for
grumbling - something is loading! Two or three seconds
The downloads seemed like an eternity. Suddenly
I see on the black and white monitor screen a
some "Crow" lounging on some
then in a wheelchair and drinking (or not drinking)
shchu) some kind of bullshit. After a second, change