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  • The Antic Files Episode 020 – Supplement

    This episode features Antic Magazine #020, Volume 3, Number 2, from May 1984.

    Podcast: Download

    Issue Cover

    Featured Content

    Screenshots from the “Education” department article titled “Alphabet Music”:

    Screenshots from the “Scroll Your Way To The Top” feature article:

    Screenshots from the “Use BASIC To Animate” feature article:

    Screenshots from the “Color Fine Tuner” feature article:

    Screenshots from the “Toolbox” department article titled “BASIC – A Variable Approach”:

    Screenshots from the “Game Of The Month” feature article titled “Escape From Epsilon”:

    Screenshots from the “I/O Board” mood program submission from Clark and Mahler Morris titled “FreakOut”:

    Show Links
    • WikiPedia (Antic Magazine): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antic_(magazine)
    • AtariMania (Antic Magazine Collection): http://ww.atarimania.com/atari-magazine-antic_20.html
    • AtariMania (Antic Issue): https://www.atarimania.com/mags/pdf/Antic_Vol_3_No_2.pdf
    • Book: The Name Of Here (@ Internet Archive): https://archive.org/details/nameofheronovel0000selt
    • Richard Seltzers site: https://seltzerbooks.com/
    • Player/Missile Tutorial (@ Player/Missile Podcast): https://playermissile.com/dli_tutorial/index.html#topic-4-player-missile-graphics
    • Inverse ATASCII S3 E5 MPP MicroFiler: https://inverseatascii.info/2017/01/16/s3e05-mpp-microfiler-supplement/
    • Inverse ATASCII S1 E8 VisiCorp VisiCalc: https://inverseatascii.info/2015/01/13/s1e8-visicalc/

      • Intro music is an excerpt from a chip tune by Zane Little named The Cool Factor.  It is used under Creative Commons License Deed (CC0 1.0 Universal), and with express written permission of the author.

      21 min
    • The Antic Files Episode 020

      This episode features Antic Magazine #020, Volume 3, Number 2, from May 1984.

      Podcast: Download

      Intro music is an excerpt from a chip tune by Zane Little named The Cool Factor.  It is used under Creative Commons License Deed (CC0 1.0 Universal), and with express written permission of the author.

       

      21 min
    • S8E14 Dynacomp Personal Finance System

      This episode features Personal Finance System, originally released in 1981 by Dynacomp.

      Podcast: Download

      Intro music is an excerpt from a chip tune by Wizwars named 8 Bit Raceway.  It is used under Creative Common license Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States.

       

      23 min
    • The Antic Files Episode 019 – Supplement

      This episode features Antic Magazine #019, Volume 3, Number 1, from April 1984.

      Podcast: Download

      Issue Cover

      Featured Content

      Screenshots from the “Education” department article titled “Math Wizard”:

      Screenshots from the “Education” department article titled “Light Pen Doodle”:

      Screenshots from the “Logo / Pilot” department article titled “Safe Place and Large Text”:

      Screenshots from the “Creative Programming with Player/Missile Graphics” feature article:

      Screenshots from the “Matchbox Tic-Tac-Toe” feature article:

      Screenshots from the “Atari Controls Your Environment” feature article:

      • Controller program.
      • Phone dialer.

      Screenshots from the “Memory Window” feature article:

      Screenshots from the “Wheels Within Wheels” feature article:

      Screenshots from the “Electronic Birthday Card” feature article:

      Screenshots from the “Game Of The Month” department article:

      Screenshots from the Bonus Game:

      Show Links
      • WikiPedia (Antic Magazine): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antic_(magazine)
      • AtariMania (Antic Magazine Collection): http://ww.atarimania.com/atari-magazine-antic_20.html
      • AtariMania (Antic Issue): https://www.atarimania.com/mags/pdf/Antic_Vol_3_No_1.pdf
      • Busy Baby (@ Atari Mania): https://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-busy-baby_848.html
      • Computer Prep for SAT (@ Atari Mania): https://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-computer-preparation-for-the-sat_1300.html

        • Intro music is an excerpt from a chip tune by Zane Little named The Cool Factor.  It is used under Creative Commons License Deed (CC0 1.0 Universal), and with express written permission of the author.

        26 min
      • The Antic Files Episode 019

        This episode features Antic Magazine #019, Volume 3, Number 1, from April 1984.

        Podcast: Download

        Intro music is an excerpt from a chip tune by Zane Little named The Cool Factor.  It is used under Creative Commons License Deed (CC0 1.0 Universal), and with express written permission of the author.

         

        26 min
      • S8E13 PLATO / PLATOTerm – Supplement

        This episode features PLATO and PLATOTerm.

        Podcast: Download

        Hardware

        Image of a CDC 1604 on which early PLATO systems ran:

        Image of a PLATO IV terminal:

        Advertisements

        Ad from 1983:

        Ad:

        PLATO in Action

        Atari 8 Bit PLATOTerm v1.0 (Irata Online):

        • Dialing

        Atari 8 Bit PLATOTerm v1.5 (Irata Online):

        FujiNet enabled.

        • w/ Mouse (Joystick)

        Atari 8 Bit PLATOTerm v1.3 (Irata Online):

        • w/ mouse (Joystick)
        • w/ mouse (ST Mouse)
        • Dialing
        • Login
        • Menu
        • Bulletins (from Main Menu option)
        • Author Mode
        • Author Mode help
        • Editor help
        • Courseware Subjects
        • Index of the subject
        • Extended information of the subject
        • Viewing the subject
        • < End of joke subject screenshots >
        • An education course.
        • < End of education screenshots >
        • Games
        • < End of games screenshots >
        • Notes Menu
        • Using the Talk feature
        • 6 channels available
        • 5 users per channel
        • Using Personal Notes
        • Some Fun Stuff
        • BASIC Language Simulator
        • DO READ the instructions.
        • Program editor
        • Cheesy sample program.
        • Test execution of cheesy program.
        • Saving the cheesy program.
        • Running the Rose program.
        • Accessing built in terminal HELP. Note that Return maps to NEXT.

        Macintosh (Modern)

        • Connecting to CYBIS.
        • Connecting to Irata Online.
        • Help
        • Main Menu
        • Game title screens can be full of color.
        • Sea Battle as played on Mac for comparison against Atari 8 bit (previous section above).
        • Courseware catalog.
        • Subject index.
        • Obligatory research.
        • Mac Help

        Files

        Files from the Atari PLATOTerm 1.0 disk:

        Show Links
        • Wikipedia PLATO: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PLATO_(computer_system)
        • Atari Wiki: https://atariwiki.org/wiki/Wiki.jsp?page=PLATO
        • Irata Online: https://www.irata.online/
        • Cyber 1: https://cyber1.org/
        • CDC 1604 (@ WikiPedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDC_1604
        • CDC 6000 (@ WikiPedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDC_6000_series
        • Atari 8 Bit PLATOTerm 1.3: https://github.com/tschak909/platoterm-atari-cart/tree/master/dist/1.3
        • Atari 8 Bit PLATOTerm 1.5 (FujiNet): https://github.com/FujiNetWIFI/fujinet-apps/tree/master/platoterm/atari
        • The Learning Phone (@ AtariMania): http://www.atarimania.com/utility-atari-400-800-xl-xe-learning-phone-_32571.html
        • PLATO Rising (Antic Magazine July 1984): https://www.atarimagazines.com/v3n3/platorising.html
        • PLATO User Manual 1981: http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/cdc/plato/97405900C_PLATO_Users_Guide_Apr81.pdf
        • Thomas Cherryhomes Interview (Antic Podcast): http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-57-thomas-cherryhomes
        • Thomas Cherryhomes Interview (Jakub Denecki): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYDh0D2ezLE
        • Thomas Cherryhomes Interview (Into The Vertical Blank Podcast): https://intotheverticalblank.com/2020/09/24/s3e19-interview-with-thomas-cherryhomes-how-fujinet-and-irataonline-give-plato-new-life/
        • Why Irata Online Exists (Thomas Cherryhomes @ YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PAj73mw-Hc
        • Irata Online Demo (Thomas Cherryhomes @ YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM7T2G-V3So
        • Irata Online One Community 13 Platforms (Thomas Cherryhomes @ YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9f8Vy9g7yM
        • PLATO for Atari Getting Started (Thomas Cherryhomes @ YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3jML6x8yKU
        • Book: The Friendly Orange Glow: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/545610/the-friendly-orange-glow-by-brian-dear/
        • Toledo Edison PLATO ad featuring nuclear reactor control room: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/vintage-computers-and-software-ads-of-the-1980s-page-6–101331060344726881/

          • Bit Rating withheld. Listen to episode for reasoning.

          Intro music is an excerpt from a chip tune by Wizwars named 8 Bit Raceway.  It is used under Creative Common license Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States.

          33 min
        • S8E13 PLATO / PLATOTerm

          This episode features PLATO and PLATOTerm.

          Podcast: Download

          Intro music is an excerpt from a chip tune by Wizwars named 8 Bit Raceway.  It is used under Creative Common license Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States.

           

          33 min
        • The Antic Files Episode 018 – Supplement

          This episode features Antic Magazine #018, Volume 2, Number 12, from March 1984.

          Podcast: Download

          Issue Cover

          Featured Content

          Screenshots from the “Starting Line” department article titled “Cinderella Story”:

          Screenshots from the “Education” department article titled “Flash Count”:

          Screenshots from Part 2 titled “Merging Traffic” of the “Logo / Pilot” feature article:

          Screenshots from the “Disk Read” feature article:

          Screenshots from the “Poker Solitaire” feature article:

          Screenshots from the “Game Of The Month” feature article. Part 1 is titled “Centurian”:

          Screenshots from the “Game Of The Month” feature article. Part 2 is titled “Escape Maze”:

          Screenshots from the “GTIA Rainbow” feature article (which didnt work properly – it should be color):

          Screenshot of the unofficial cover disk:

          Show Links
          • WikiPedia (Antic Magazine): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antic_(magazine)
          • AtariMania (Antic Magazine Collection): http://ww.atarimania.com/atari-magazine-antic_20.html
          • AtariMania (Antic Issue): https://www.atarimania.com/mags/pdf/Antic_Vol_2_No_12.pdf
          • Inverse ATASCII S1 E05 APX Decision Maker: https://inverseatascii.info/2014/11/25/s1e5-apx-decision-maker/

            • Intro music is an excerpt from a chip tune by Zane Little named The Cool Factor.  It is used under Creative Commons License Deed (CC0 1.0 Universal), and with express written permission of the author.

            27 min
          • The Antic Files Episode 018

            This episode features Antic Magazine #018, Volume 2, Number 12, from March 1984.

            Podcast: Download

            Intro music is an excerpt from a chip tune by Zane Little named The Cool Factor.  It is used under Creative Commons License Deed (CC0 1.0 Universal), and with express written permission of the author.

             

            27 min
          • S8E12 MPP SmartTerminal – Supplement

            This episode features SmartTerminal, released in 1983 by Microbits Peripheral Products (MPP), then later by Supra Corporation after the company was reformed.

            Podcast: Download

            Package Art

            Scan of the cartridge:

            Advertisements

            Ad from Antic June 1983:

            Ad from Antic October 1983:

            Ad from Antic December 1983:

            Ad from Antic February 1985:

            Ad from Antic May 1986:

            SmartTerminal in Action

            Booting

            • Version 6.1 in 38 columns (default).
            • Version 6.1 in 40 columns.
            • Version 6.1 in 40 columns and custom color.
            • Version 8.4 in 40 columns with custom color.
            • Version 6.1 in 64 columns.

            Terminal Usage

            • Disk Functions menu.
            • Directory output.
            • Modem to Disk Direct function (Capture).
            • Saving a receive buffer.
            • Deleting receive buffers.
            • Modem to printer direct.
            • Load buffer from device.
            • Dial/Answer Functions menu.
            • Terminal mode.
            • Customizing the baud rate. Reliable up to ~450 baud (on 300 baud modems) if phone line and connection is good.

            Files
            • Version 6.1 disk files. Note M80.MPP which is an 80 column driver I couldnt get to work.
            • Version 6.1 Dialing Directory dump.
            • Version 8.4 disk files. Again, could not get 80 column driver to work.
            • Version 8.4 dialing directory dump.

            Show Links
            • AtariMania (program): http://www.atarimania.com/utility-atari-400-800-xl-xe-smart-terminal_16411.html
            • Wikipedia MPP/Supra: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supra_Corporation
            • Kay Savetz Source Code Recovery Thread (@ AtariAge) : https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254877-mpp-smart-terminal-source-code/
            • MPP/Supra Product Design Notes (@ Internet Archive): https://archive.org/details/MPP_Supra_pictures/mode/2up
            • Kay Savetz (Atari Podcast) Interview w/Alan Ackerman: http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-106-alan-ackerman-mpp

              • Bit Rating withheld. Listen to episode for reasoning.

              Intro music is an excerpt from a chip tune by Wizwars named 8 Bit Raceway.  It is used under Creative Common license Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States.

              21 min