https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/inverseatascii-s2e05-atari_capitals.mp3

This episode features States & Capitals, and European Countries & Capitals.  Both originally released in 1980 by Atari.

Podcast: Download

These are scans of my boxes.

Front of the box:

Back of the box:

Side of the box:

Advertisement from Atari Connection March 1981:

Atari catalog description (from AtariMania):

These are scans of my box.

Front of the box:

Back of the box:

Side of the box:

This is a scan from AtariMania of the UK release:

Boot to BASIC, then use CLOAD to load, and RUN to execute:

Loading splash screen (I don’t know why Atari never fixed this broken logo):

If you load from side A of the cassette you are asked if you want to see the instructions.  You can load the game directly from side B of the cassette:

If you chose to see the instructions, there are nine screens:

After the instructions, or if you chose not to see them, the game loads:

Beginning game play, with Hawaii highlighted as the first state:

Partway through the game.  Completed states have dotted outlines while the state currently being asked has a solid outline:

Final score after my first run of the program, yeah I know, pathetic:

Boot to BASIC, then use CLOAD to load, and RUN to execute:

Loading splash screen (yep the same broken logo):

If you load from side A of the cassette you are asked if you want to see the instructions.  You can load the game directly from side B of the cassette:

If you chose to see the instructions, there are nine screens.  This is the same as States & Capitals, but with minor terminology differences.  Also note that RETURN is not a different color like it is in States & Capitals:

After the instructions, or if you chose not to see them, the game loads:

The game begins with a single country outlined:

At game completion.  Press START to play again:

Scanned States & Capitals Manual download:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ataristatescapitalsmanual.pdf

Scanned European Countries & Capitals download:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/atarieuropeancountriescapitalsmanual.pdf

Podcast: Download

This episode features Home Filing Manager, originally released in 1982 by Atari.

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/inverseatascii-s2e04-atari_homefilingmanager1.mp3

This episode features Home Filing Manager, originally released in 1982 by Atari.

Podcast: Download

Scan of the front of the revised box:

Scan of the back of the revised box:

Scan of the front of the original box (from AtariMania):

Scan of the back of the original box (from AtariMania):

The boot splash:

Don’t try to boot the data disk.  There is at least a stub of code to let you know what you’ve done wrong:

If there is only 1 drive present and turned on, you are prompted to insert the data diskette in drive 1:

If there is a 2nd drive present and turned on, you are prompted to insert the data diskette in drive 2:

If you do not insert a disk with valid Home Filing Manager data, you are presented with this initialization menu which is a subset of the main menu.  You must prepare a diskette before you can use the program, or have a valid one inserted when it requests the data diskette:

PREPARE AND FORMAT

When selecting PREPARE AND FORMAT, you are prompted for confirmation:

After formatting, you give it a name:

SWITCH

The SWITCH menu option presents this confirmation:

QUIT

When choosing QUIT from the menu, it goes here.  Time for a reboot.

This is the main program menu.  Instead of single word choices, entire phrases are your options:

Adding a card presents a blank one.  The title line (red) will be indexed:

Finishing an Add by completing the data:

Using Add to create an index card.  This is achieved by placing a ! at the start of the title line:

Invoking EDIT on the currently displayed card and adding to it:

Erasing a card.  Note the confirmation:

Copy a card by navigating to the card you want to copy then selecting COPY:

Editing the copied card:

GETting a card pulls up the next in the index based on the sort order A->Z or Z->A:

LISTing a card is the only way to print it.  Use SHIFT when choosing to only list the title:

Searches the card titles only (red line) for your input.  First enter what you want to find:

Matching cards are marked with a paperclip on the left:

Marking cards by matching any content on them with your input.  First enter the search term:

Watch the number of marks (matches) rise and the number of cards left to search change:

After marking is done, you are placed in the Look view at the first mark (match).  Notice the paperclip:

Navigate to the next mark by using Find:

See the PREPARE AND FORMAT option above under DATA DISK INITIALIZATION.  Well, if you must see it, it really is the same except the menu has other options.  Also note, it shows you the name of the currently open card deck at the top:

See the SWITCH option above under DATA DISK INITIALIZATION

See the QUIT option above under DATA DISK INITIALIZATION

Home Filing Manager uses a single density DOS, presumably Atari DOS 2.0.  The contents of the program and data disk are masked by a hidden VTOC.  Program disk:

Data disk:

Directory and DOS on the cracked version:

List a card:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/s2e04-prt-listcard.pdf

List multiple cards:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/s2e04-prt-listmulti.pdf

List multiple titles:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/s2e04-prt-listmultititle.pdf

It first wants the a data disk, only drive 1 is supported:

If you fail to supply a valid data disk, you are warned and given another opportunity:

If you succeed, you get the main menu:

Podcast: Download

This episode features Spell Perfect, originally released in 1982 by LJK Enterprises.  It was designed by Ken Leonhardi.

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/inverseatascii-s2e03-ljk_spellperfect.mp3

This episode features Spell Perfect, originally released in 1982 by LJK Enterprises.  It was designed by Ken Leonhardi.

Podcast: Download

Scan of the front of the manual:

Advertisement that won a Clio award:

At boot first set the disk for your files.  Feel free to use drive 3 if you want, it supports more than 2 drives:

Next set the disk for the dictionary:

Last, set the density of the drive:

Main menu (looks and acts like Letter Perfect and Data Perfect):

First choose a file to spell check:

File is loaded, then scanning will begin:

If the dictionary disk is not inserted in the configured dictionary drive each word will generate an error:

Once scanning is started mis-spelled words are highlighted and showing in context.  You are prompted on what to do about it:

Editing the mis-spelled word via Change menu item:

Using the Match menu item to find a words correct spelling.  This is the match menu:

Selecting a replacement word using the Sel(ect) option of the Match menu:

After selecting the replacement word from the options, it is placed in the change editor.  Edit it to further refine or press RETURN to accept it:

Once the entire document is proofed, you are prompted to save it, give it a new name or use the same name:

The file menu acts as a mini-DOS.  It also has a Save function in case the proofed document could not be saved at proof conclusion due to disk error:

The dictionary menu allows for the addition and deletion of words from the dictionary.  The print option allows for printing pages of the dictionary:

Add

First enter the word to add:

It is added to a list of words to add, up to 32 at a time:

Pressing RETURN without input completes the additions.  Any words that were not added (due to duplication) will be listed under the “words unused” section:

Delete

Delete works just like Add.  Enter the word to delete:

It is added to a list of words to delete, up to 32 at a time:

After pressing RETURN with no input, the menu is given.  You can modify the list of words, commit, or quit:

This word was not in the dictionary and thus not able to be deleted.  So it is shown under the “words unused” section:

This works just like init.  See above.

When choosing quit, insert a boot disk to boot it:

Spell Perfect uses a proprietary disk format.  Though an official LJK DOS does not exist, you can consider it as such.

Printing a single dictionary page:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/s2e03-prt-dictprintonepage.pdf

Printing all dictionary pages:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/s2e03-prt-dictprintall.pdf

PDF of entire Version 1 dictionary (words only):

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/s2e03-prt-dictv1.pdf

PDF of entire Version 6 dictionary (words only):

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/s2e03-prt-dictv6.pdf

Podcast: Download

This episode features Family Vehicle Expense, originally released in 1982 by APX.  It was developed by Jerry Falkenhan.

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/inverseatascii-s2e02-apx_familyvehicleexpense.mp3

This episode features Family Vehicle Expense, originally released in 1982 by APX.  It was developed by Jerry Falkenhan.

Podcast: Download

In typical APX fashion, there is no box.  This was an early title so there was not even a blister pack.  Just a manual and a disk.  Scan of the manual cover:

APX Catalog listing (Fall 1982):

Main menu.  Note the difference in the menu from the release version and the catalog version.  The title is different.  The catalog shows black screen with the title “Family Vehicle Cost”.  The release version has a blue background and title “Family Vehicles”.  Also note the copyright lines are modified in the release version using graphics 2 with a graphics 0 text window:

Prompting to insert data disk:

The monthly data module loading:

When first entering the Monthly Data module, you must choose a month:

Then sit back and relax as it slowly loads the months data:

Once data is loaded, the Monthly Data sub-menu is presented:

Monthly Option A – Review Entries

First, pick a car:

Pick a report to review:

Statistical Data review:

Summary & Detail category summary review:

Monthly Option B – Enter New Data

Pick a car:

Pick a category:

Pick a payment type:

Enter the day number:

Enter the cost:

For fuel, choose Gallons or Liters.  If you choose liters, it will convert to gallons automatically:

For fuel, enter the amount dispensed, and confirm:

For fuel, enter the mileage and confirm:

Do you want to add more entries?  Answer Y to add another entry for the same vehicle in the same category, or N if you want to change categories or vehicles, or months:

Back at the category selection menu.  Note revised category totals after fuel entries were made:

Back at the vehicle selection menu.  Note revised totals for the vehicle expenses were entered for:

Monthly Option C – Change Entries

Pick a car (this feels familiar):

Pick a category:

Transactions for the category for the month are listed.  Choose one to edit:

Now choose which field of the transaction to edit:

Gallons was modified:

Revised transaction list.  Select another transaction to edit or ESC back to the menu:

Menu Option D – Delete Entries

Pick a car:

Pick a category:

Pick a transaction to delete:

Are you sure?  Or “Is This It?”:

Menu Option E – Print Entries

Choose the report you want to print:

If the printer is attached and online, it will start printing:

Menu Option F – Exchange Month

Changing the month:

This exits to DOS, Atari DOS 2.0.

The setup module loading:

Once it loads, it has to work a bit.  Please wait…

Setup menu:

Section A – Exchange Names

Pick a category name to change:

Edit it inline:

Confirm the change:

Altered category list.  Confirm all are correct:

Pick a vehicle name to edit.  Edits work the same way as the category names edit does:

Updated list of vehicle names (Hrm, ones missing in this screenshot.  Before I added “The Judge” I guess.):

Next up edit the payment names.  This works exactly like editing category and vehicle names:

Section B – Data Disk-Drive#

Choose either A or B to select which disk drive will be the data drive:

Section C – Setup Fixed Cost

This has a sub-menu with four options:

Fixed Cost Submenu A – Insurances

Enter yearly total for insurance of each vehicle:

Confirm each entry:

Fixed Cost Submenu B – License Tags

Enter the yearly license fees:

Fixed Cost Section C – Loan or Lease

Enter each vehicles yearly payment totals:

Fixed Cost Section D – Depreciation

Enter current month:

Enter current year:

Enter purchase dates:

Enter purchase price and current value:

Section D – Setup New Year

The warning message that flashes upon entering Setup New Year.  Sound is also played with this:

Are you sure you want to zero out all the data?

OK, This message tells you whats about to happen over the next 12 minutes.  Don’t freak out over the black screen.  BTW, unrestricted speed on the emulator makes this go by in seconds:

Now it does its work, one month at a time,making artificial disk noises or clicks as it works:

zzzz….

Wake me up when you get back…

And then this happens if your data disk is full, not formatted, or write protected:

This clears memory and drops you back at a BASIC ready prompt.  Your asked to confirm:

Family Vehicle Expense uses Atari DOS 2.0.  The contents of the program disk can be seen in this screenshot:

The files are:

The data disk contents can be seen here:

Summary Reports:

S2E02-prt-Month09PrintA

Detail Reports:

S2E02-prt-Month09PrintB

Statistics:

S2E02-prt-Month09PrintC

Scanned Manual: download

Podcast: Download

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/inverseatascii-s2e01-atari_atariwriter.mp3

This episode features AtariWriter, originally released in 1982 by Atari.  It was developed by Atari.  Later versions were developed by Micro Fantasy.  The primary programmer for all versions was William V. Robinson.  This word processor brought word processing to the consumer in an easy to use package.

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/inverseatascii-s2e01-atari_atariwriter.mp3

This episode features AtariWriter, originally released in 1982 by Atari.  It was developed by Atari.  Later versions were developed by Micro Fantasy.  The primary programmer for all versions was William V. Robinson.  This word processor brought word processing to the consumer in an easy to use package.

Podcast: Download

AtariWriter (original) 1982 box front:

AtariWriter (orignal) version A cartridge:

AtariWriter (original version B cartridge (revised for XL line):

AtariWriter (original) version C cartridge:

AtariWriter  1985 box front (no cartridge, this version shipped on disk media):

AtariWriter  1985 box back:

AtariWriter Plus box front (no cartridge, this version shipped on disk media):

AtariWriter Plus box back (no cartridge, this version shipped on disk media):

AtariWriter 80 1988 box front (no cartridge, this version shipped on disk media):

AtariWriter 80 1988 box back:

An original AtariWriter print ad.  This scan is from Atari Connection Volume 3 Number, March 1983:

Another original AtariWriter print ad.  I believe this was the second with revisions for the XL line.  This scan is from ANALOG November 1983:

Atari Proofreader ad.  Proofreader is included in AtariWriter Plus and AtariWriter 80:

Nice review advertisement from Antic magazine in September of 1983:

The boot splash from AtariWriter (Original):

The boot splash from AtariWriter Plus:

Booting AtariWriter XE on non-XE machine gives a hard error:

Menu

The AtariWriter (original cartridge based, version A and C) main menu:

The AtariWriter Plus main menu:

The AtariWriter 80 main menu:

Editor Screen

The AtariWriter (original) edit screen (new document).  Note the global formatting parameters across the top:

The AtariWriter Plus edit screen (800/XL version on top, XE version on bottom).  Notice the global formatting parameters are removed and now reside on a separate menu:

The AtariWriter 80 edit screen.  Produced via emulated XEP-80:

Editing a large document with AtariWriter (Original).  Notice 297 bytes free:

Editing the same large document in AtariWriter Plus.  Document has been distributed evenly amongst memory banks, and bank 1 has just been selected:

Editing the same large document in AtariWriter 80.  Document has been distributed evenly amongst memory banks, and bank 1 has just been selected:

Editing section headers (TOC) with AtariWriter Plus (this works the same way with all versions):

Editing the same section headers (TOC) with AtariWriter 80:

Print Preview

AtariWriter (Original) previewing a large document.  Viewport window is scrolled slightly right:

AtariWriter Plus previewing the same large document.  Viewport window is scrolled slightly right:

AtariWriter 80 previewing the same large document.  Viewport window is not scrolled:

AtariWriter (Original) previewing section headers (TOC):

AtariWriter Plus previewing section headers (TOC):

AtariWriter 80 previewing section headers (TOC):

Print

AtariWriter (Original) supports four predefined printers, or a custom printer driver loaded via AUTORUN.SYS file.  Different default printers were present between the A and C versions.  The A version:

The C version replaces options 3 and 4.  The Atari 820 becomes the Atari 1020.   The Atari 822 becomes the Atari 1027:

AtariWriter Plus printer selection:

AtariWriter 80 printer selection:

Index

Index of files with AtariWriter (Original).  Option to print when list is complete.  Single columns only:

Index of files with AtariWriter Plus.  Expanded options for deleting, loading, saving on top of printing.  Two columns will display:

Index of files with AtariWriter 80.  The same options as AtariWriter Plus.  Up to four columns will display:

Global Format

The new global format menu introduced with AtariWriter Plus.  Seen here on AtariWriter Plus (top) and AtariWriter 80 (bottom):

Mail Merge

Message displayed when the Mail Merge function is invoked from AtariWriter Plus:

AtariWriter Plus Mail Merge meu:

AtariWriter 80 Mail Merge menu.  The difference here is the title at the top of the screen:

Creating a new mail merge file.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

Editing the mail merge database.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

Building a subset of the mail merge file.  In essence this is an index and criterion filter.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

Printing the mail merge file.  Enter the filename, off to the printer it goes.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

Proofreader

The message displayed when the Proofreader module is loaded.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

The Proofreader main menu.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

Starting to proofread a file.  First mis-spelled word encountered.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

Correcting a mis-spelled word.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

Using the Highlight feature of the Proofreader.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

Deciding if you want to proofread the entire document or not.  AtariWriter 80:

Using the dictionary search function to lookup words.  Notice previous searches remain on screen.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

Not so much errors as warnings.  At any rate they prevent you from doing what you set out to do.  The first is trying to load a file that won’t fit in memory with AtariWriter (Original):

String Too Long.  This one crops it head up if a continuous block of text is longer the the margined line will allow (i.e. if the text is 80 characters and the column count between margins is only 74).  A web URL can invoke this error quite easily.  It can appear with print preview, printing, or reformatting.  First screenshot is from AtariWriter Plus, followed by AtariWriter 80:

AtariWriter and AtariWriter Plus use Atari DOS 2.0.  AtariWriter 80 uses Atari DOS 2.5.  The contents of the AtariWriter Plus disk can be seen in this screenshot (the 800/XL version on top (D2); and the XE version on bottom (D3)):

The contents of the AtariWriter 80 disk can be seen in this screenshot (the 800/XL version on top (D2); and the XE version on bottom (D3)):

The contents of the Proofreader disk can not be read.  The VTOC is replaced with this custom message.  The AtariWriter Plus disk is on top (D2); and the AtariWriter 80 disk on the bottom (D3):

The files are:

Looking at a dump of a 1 letter document (the letter I) file created with AtariWriter (original):

Looking at a dump of a 1 letter document (the letter I) file created with AtariWriter Plus:

Print output of the index print (same for all versions):

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/s2e01-prt-index.pdf

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/s2e01-prt-indexprintaw80.pdf

Print output of the Mail Merge database (same for AtariWriter Plus and AtariWriter 80):

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/s2e01-prt-mailprintawp.pdf

Print output of a document using a Mail Merge database:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/s2e01-prt-mailprintfieldsawp.pdf

Print output of possibly mis-spelled words from the Proofreader:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/s2e01-prt-proofprintawp.pdf

Print output (customized with formatting) of section headers (table of contents):

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/s2e01-prt-toc.pdf

Scanned Reference Cards

AtariWriter (Original): https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/atariwriterreferencecard.pdf

AtariWriter Plus: https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/atariwriterplusreferencecard.pdf

AtariWriter 80: https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/atariwriter80referencecard.pdf

AtariWriter (original) BIT Rating:

AtariWriter Plus and AtariWriter 80 BIT Rating:

Podcast: Download

This episode is a reflection on KansasFest 2015 from an Atari guy.