About everything - letters from readers: Peace User, Stranger, Best Hackers Group.

Hello, dear editors.     
                                          
  I am writing to you my impressions about your
th  electronic creation.  Straight  I'll say,
I expected  more.  Like quality
design, good music, even  in some places
There are interesting  notes, but something is wrong.
There is no  it solidity and  simultaneously
simplicity,  as in FORMAT. Everything is somehow wise
ryono, although original.                 
                                          
  Very  disappointed  me  Mr.  M.M.A,
hmm...  wait a minute, I'll pick up the hematephoe word -
in...  Not  found.  Okay, then the quote:
"Self-confidence is the impudence of a little bi-
that person."                           
  Well, guess,  who said that? 
No, not me, but Georgy Ratner (surgeon, yche-
ny).  Here's how times  to  here to you,  Mr.
M.M.A,  and  need to heal your hyper-
trophied...M.M.A>  You'll work with mine for the good
SPECTRUM in  Samara,  y  not only you
self-esteem  hypertrophying. How  says
R.ATRIDES, almost a joke.                   
                                          
....conceit with the complication of lameness.
                                          
  I have a question for the editor. So you say-
those that,  they say, there are a huge number of you
new and interesting games, and the contents of your
"Boxes", probably  remained
property from programmers of the timesUncle Sincle-
ra. Other thoughts from what he saw there in the city
catch and don't climb.  This "box" is difficult
compare  with the previous one, there is "ELITE 3",
and  "PEKING". Box  same  for me, like
USER, the most interesting thing. This, if you want
those face  magazine.                       
                                          
M.M.A>  PEKING, and  already  ELITE  3 already for sure
outdated at the time of their publication in the application
marriage  for a year and a half.  The only thing is
saved  these programs are included in
improvements to them. Otherwise it was like thissame  "junk" that we continue to publish
vat now. It's just "old" from the point of view
vision  some  people - classic and
the best representatives of their genre.        
                                          
Where do you think I look first?
I  and my friends, having received a new magazine?
That's right, to the application, and only then to everything
the rest  (if you want to look). Yes
that in my opinion, you came out with a box
puncture                                   
                                          
  Well, in general, you can read the magazine, right-
yes  some  texts  and they smell like crap,
but what to do - the world is imperfect. More  question,  if you allow.  When
I return from the text, menu  appears
after pressing a key - why do this?       
                                          
 As for the service, it would be  not bad
xo, if, when studying the next shede-
vra, you could also see the name
his (masterpiece).  In general, it would be great,
if if an opportunity arose without leaving
in  menu from the text, go straight to read-
the next literary miracle.        
                                          
  Please strongly not to be offended, because ours
USER's  case -  try the next one
creation, and suggest what is wrong.       
                                          
  It remains  to wish you, once again,
have  more original  inspirations, and
also time  that  would be  their implementation in
life. So, the keyboard is for you..., right
right, in your hands.                           
                                          
                               PEACE USER.
 4.05.97.
------------------------------------------
                                          
 Well, what can I say? In some ways ours
The reader is right, but in some ways not entirely. Yes
for example,  about  The box. Despite its
relative  antiquity games QUAZATRON and
MAGNETRON, do not become less exciting
newand interesting. Although, of course, every
game somebody  likes it, but  someone doesn't.
3and you don’t have to look far for an example - ELITE.
After all there are people who don’t understand what
in  her  this  special. Everyone has their own
tastes... But,  we  we will still try
further  select newer programs
we who can  like  as possible
to a larger circle of our readers.           
                                          
  What  concerns the technical issues of the
shellmagazine, then... In a word,
wishes are accepted and taken into account. In this room,
if you haven’t noticed yet, the names
view  article  when viewing it, and the key
no need to click when exiting the article...  
                                          
 And you shouldn’t be so afraid that we will offend-
Xia. Be offended  by  justified...        
                                          
M.M.A> Yes, and unreasonable too.....      
                                          
...criticism is stupid. After allthis is unique
feedback from readers.              
                                          
                                          
  Next letter:                       
------------------------------------------
                                          
         Message (in three parts).        
             (from Stranger)              
                                          
                       If  a philosopher  could
 become an undertaker,
 then  why  would
 bovshchiky   not to become
 critic.          
                                          
                                          
                                          
        Part one (thankful).       
                                          
                                          
  Hello, editors of OBERON.Here is the re-
I was going to write  to a magazine, the first one, and maybe
for the last time. As you probably already guessed,
given, in this part I will express my
gratitude and  praise the glorious Sa-
Mar programmers for their useful and be-
Of course difficult  and painstaking, labor. I
I'm very glad  that we are finally here in Sama-
re a magazine appeared, not inferior, but
by  some  parameters  and superior
such magazines like SPECTROPHONE, ZX-FORMAT,
etc. etc. .                           
                                          
                                          
  I hasten to express  my gratitude to you
Silyeva Maxim for the wonderful copying
box NEXT COPY.                            
                                          
 Thank you  group  "STARS  OF  KELADAN" for
finalization of  games such as "SPACE CRUSADE"
and  "ELITE III" (stockroom version). Many
people,  y "Deltas", before could not
play to this cool gam'y, well, those
now, thanks to you, they can enjoy
this glorious game.                       
                                          
  Well and now about the innovations introduced in
magazine.  I liked the new one the most
magazine design, and such improvements as op-
grew up 48, 128,  512, 1024 kV. This is great
that now you don’t have to wait for articles to load
from disk (I'm talking about 512 and 102 PCI memory), and
After waiting  one time, you can at least take it out
disk from the drive.                        
                                          
  I also liked the music, it was simple
that's great.                           
                                          
  New window menu looks very good
rushes.  But it would be nice after exiting
articles will immediately appear inmenu, not this one,
constantly  drawn  on  screen,
pattern. This, you know, is starting to  irritate
after viewing the second article.        
                                          
  Well, that seems to be all I wanted to say in
this introductory part.                 
                                          
                                          
        Part two (sarcastic).      
                                          
  Basic  law  programming (or
just folk wisdom):               
"Every programmer, bug-free program
we leave many more glitches for others."   
                                          
This I to  the one in "COUNTRYMYTHS"love
without  processed author-hacker
group  "STARS OF KELADAN" still left
a lot of work for others. There is one in this game
a "small" glitch that makes it impossible
walkable - only one chicken is missing
juice  cards. And thanks to this glitch I, and
several  of my friends, having spent several
days and nights in an attempt to beat it (the game),
so  and could not  do this  to do. Here we go
imagine our feelings after  all this -
wow, and no words can convey it
the disappointments we experienced.           
                                          
                                          
 And  a couple more wishes regardingthis game: 
                                          
1.  If she plows on PRO, then why not
she should not use 512 kV, not 256 kV;   
                                          
2. It is impossible  whether  it was possible to insert a boot menu
delayed play into the game itself, otherwise,  you know
whether  not  y everyone has enough patience reset-
start the game and load it again  when attacked
attacks on your army by crowds of wolves or other
Dov, because It's no use fighting with them.    
                                          
                                          
 Well and more one  note, although now
it may not be relevant. This is a replacement
hope  about  installed   by you  on 
drives  protection "BYTEMARE PROTECTION". More
I didn't see any glitchy stuff.                 
                                          
One day, when I came home from "KOLOSA",...  
                                          
M.M.A>  This is where the dog rummaged! "KO-
VOC" set protection, not STARS OF KELADAN.
Where is that “KOLOS” now? In the window space
those!  And all because  that they traded protected
new disks with all sorts of old crap.    
                                          
.... where I stocked up on two disks, andcha  I was completely sober (I swear this
day I didn’t take a drop of alcohol into my mouth,
even beer), I was never able to load the same
I choose  program,  because when choosing one
loaded  other and vice versa. First I...
thought  that  y  mine computer glitches, but also
repeated on  on  PENTAGON, DELTA and on
other PROFI.                             
                                          
  I, of course, am not against protection on disks, for
pleasure you have to  pay, but these protections
not  should  affect  nor the operation of programs
nor for their normal launch. Moreover, the disk
With this protection it is very easy to copy.   
                                          
  Well here  in general features and  everything is under-
liberty,  that I would like to express.       
                                          
  These are all my complaints about the hacker group
ne  "STARS OF KELADAN".  Now let's move on
Let's get to the problem of the leadership of the Samara
hackers.                                 
                                          
M.M.A> How  times hackers have this problem 
for some reason  no!  Appears  she, I see,
only y users...  Maybe they are just sorry,
that I am not the Leader of the Users?!            
                                          
Noman> "It's a pity" y bee ;)                
                                          
                                          
  We were driving with  Max (M.M.A) hitchhiking,
swallowed forfeits, and  . . . he called himself -
The Great and Terrible Leader of the Samara
Hackers (VUPSH).                         
                                          
  Firstly, any  leader,  not
only Samara hackers, must choose
people  at the meeting, and his statements about
that thanks to him, and only him, in Samara
appear new  programs, does not give it 
rights  to be a leader. But if  he is like this
wants, then from now on I propose to place 
take his nickname M.M.A  on PSKH (VU) -  Pre-
driver Samara Hackers  (Great and
Terrible).                                 
                                          
M.M.A> On my own behalf, I suggest adding another qua-
brackets with the inscription [Fierce]...   
                                          
                                          
But  this the title will be nothing more than empty
sound  for everyone else, until it (ti-
tul) will not be approved by Samara hackers. Part three (farewell).         
                                          
  Well here  and suited  by the end it may
a little boring letter. That's all I could
play  on  my light fogged
METALLIC brain.                         
                                          
  I almost forgot to ask about some
rumors that have reached me.            
                                          
  This  is true that  this issue "OBERON"
is the last one, and why are you tired of releasing it?
In my opinion, this is not  in my opinion, to retreat
before  difficulties and give up the much-needed
case,  as  edition of this  the only one in
Samara magazine.                           
                                          
M.M.A> The difficulty here is the journal itself
cash. Truth The fourth issue has been released and you
you read it...                           
     But are you satisfied?                    
          Was it worth it?                      
               Is this what you expected from us?   
                                          
  Well, that's probably it everything I wanted to tell you
write. Sincerely,Stranger.            
                                          
R.S.My address: 443122 Samara, Silina St.
9, apt. 65, Stranger'y.                   
                                          
R.P.S.  For those  who study (suffer) in
SSU, you can write to me at:         
server  NEWTON, name STRANGER, using
programs  PMAIL on disk Z  in directory
PMAIL. GOOD BYE.                          
                                          
         UNFORGIVEN TNE BEST! ! !        
------------------------------------------
 And now so to speak, here are our answers
to the questions raised in the letter.         
                                          
  First  about  "The Land of Myths". First of all.
When creating  version  2.0 we pursued
only three goals:                           
(1) Make self-tuning for the computer type
ra,  so that  do not breed "versions  for
Scorpion, Profi, ATM, ...":             
(2) Make it possible to write/read files
la states on any disk, not just on
game disc:                             
(3) Make customization possiblepara-
meters of the game.                              
  It seems to us that all three points are implemented
Vans.                                     
                                          
  Pro  "glitch" with one piece missing
cards  nothing  say  not  we can. We ourselves
passed   our  version   and  no glitch
not  found.  Moreover, they discovered and killed
author's  "fun" at  the ending of the game. Yes
what, more likely in total this is either a broken version
(for example, someone’s disk could not be read even whencopying the game  he chose Ignore), or
a copyright defect not noticed by us.      
  About wishes:                           
1.  The game is designed for 256K and all memory
She simply doesn’t need more than that.           
2.  Insert load menu into the game quite
complicated, because as  the state file contains
a lot of  information  about which one
module  program  needed to work. Those.
during a "soft" boot the state is still the same
you need  overload  more  half of itself
programs. And it is quite possible that in our "Country
Myths 2.0" there is still work for others, and
We  nowhere  and did not say that our version
the best. She is improved. Here.      
                                          
  So,  for example,  Dmitry  Grigoriev
(OLDMAN) very unhappy that we didn’t remove
the only drawback in his opinion is the
ginala - flickering sprites, but instead
"They mocked the program and its authors."
About  what  he categorically stated on the pages
64th  issue of your electronic newspaper ON-
LINE.  As they say, everyone has different tastes.
About  BYTEMARE PROTECTION. The most important thing:
We  do not  protect programs  BYTEMARE. This
the program  was in  sold at the time ZX-
To the club.  Protection is established by distribution
bodies.                                     
                                          
  Talk  about  that it is only buggy
because on some protected by it
disks, instead of downloading one file,
another one is loading - it’s the same as ob-
Blame  for the crookedness of a gun that doesn’t hit
lo  v  duck. It's not all about the gun (protection),
and in the arrow. In the documentation for BYTEMARE be-
in black is a list of “not recommended”
commanded"  actions. One of them is impossible
remove already protected programs from  disk
or for example  replace on the "boot" disk -
shell,  This  will just lead to this
confusion with loading. So this is the question
Rosa all  claims to "KOLOS". Besides that-
Well,  we think  that  defend  must
exclusively only new author's programs
frames.                                    
                                          
  What  the same applies to the copyability of protected
disks, then on the Spectrum it is fundamentally not
it is possible to create a protected disk that
it would be impossible to copy...         
                                          
M.M.A>  It would be more accurate to say not copied
break it!                          
                                          
...on it.                             
                                          
  Well and about, perhaps, the most pressing
topic - about  "The Leader, the Great and the Terror-
nom".  Guys,  yes  what are you doing! This is a joke.
You  didn't find fault with Noman for
he  "wandering  hacker" (yes you are
put  this!) or Paul's Atrides
for the fact that it “shows the way”.           
                                          
  Actually,  this  is "empty sounds",
These are just friendly cartoons-pseudonyms.    
                                          
  Although, of course,  we  we are to blame. It is necessary
It was we in 3rd issue to tell about
How did the phrase  come into existence  "Great and
The Terrible Leader of the Samara Hackers."
And it arose at the time of writing as a joke -
friendly  letters in ZX-FORMAT,which
Roe, true,  so  and  was not sent.
That's when the "Great" was born
and  Terrible" (this is from "The Wizard of Emerald
Cities") and "Leader of the Samara Hakke-
ditch" (he is  same as  "the father of Russian democracy",
"a person close to the Emperor" - from
"Twelve Chairs").                    
                                          
                                          
M.M.A>> All of the above is about me
personal opinion of R. Atrides and nothing more.
Noman> More like Stars of Keladan... And about rumours. Here,  actually, he is -
next  number OBERON.  "And like flies
here  and there,  there are rumors going around rumors from house to house..."
(C)  V. Vysotsky.  C  release OBERON
"tie" we did not intend to, and
we're sorry (not in a hacker way).              
                                          
  But  we're going to  do something else - find
and  expose  the deepest problem with the use of
the exact source  of these rumours (this seems to be very
even in hacker style). Just a joke, of course.       
------------------------------------------
                                          
One more  letter  came  to us from the guys from
ZX  BEST HACKERS GROUP. To your message
they have included some graphic works
with a request to publish them in the magazine.     
                                          
Of course, we couldn’t include everything in the magazine -
Yes, but one  picture was still placed.
                                          
A  immediately after the picture you will find the following
large letter from the city of Kuznetsk Penzen-
skaya region.