Welcome to the March/April 1993 Issue of GEnie's... __ / ) _ _ _ _ / / (_) ( \ / ) (_) / / _ _ _ ____\ \ /\ / / _ ___ ____ / / / )( \_/ ) / __ )\ \/ \/ / / ) / __)/ __ ) / (__ / / \ / / ___/ \ / / / / / / ___/ (______)(_/ \_/ (____) \_/\_/ (_/ (_/ (____) _____ _ _ _ / _ ) / ) (_) / ) / / ) / _____ / / _ _____ ____ / / / (_/ / / _ ) / / / ) / _ ) / __ ) (_/ / / / / ) / / / / / / / ) / / ___/ _ (_____/ (_/ (_/ (_/ (_/ (_/ (_/ (____) (_) ~ DOING BUSINESS ONLINE ~ ~ EXPERTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS ~ ~ CYBERSTRIKE! ~ ~ HAVE YOURSELF A SPRING FLING! ~ ~ NEW! COMPUTER VIRUS & SECURITY RT ~ ~ GEnie NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS ~ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\//////////////////////////////////// Editor .............................................. Peggy Herrington Associate Editor ......................................... Donn King Assistant Editor ................................. Kevin J. McCann Online Editor ...................................... John Peters Contributing Editor .......................... Holly Jahangiri Publisher ...................................... Neil Harris ///////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ >>> GEnie' LiveWire Online! <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ~ March/April 1993 ~ FROM THE EDITOR ............ [FRM] BUSINESS FRONT ............ [BUS] Getting Productive. Experts at Your Fingertips. UNCLE SAM .................. [UNC] GEnie! .................... [INV] Gives You The Business. A Smart Investment. COMMUNICATING .............. [COM] FOCUS ON .................. [WIN] [*]Professionally! Windows RoundTable. HIP! HIP! HOORAY! .......... [HIP] FOCUS ON .................. [IBM] Less Costly, Access Great! IBM PC RoundTable. HINTS & TIPS ............... [HIN] FOCUS ON .................. [MAC] Moving Smartly On GEnie. Macintosh RoundTable. SPRING RoundTable ROUNDUP .. [SPR] FOCUS ON .................. [*S*] o Scorpia's Games Goodies *StarShip* Amiga RoundTable. o Computer Virus & Security RT. o History is Now on GEnie. FOCUS ON .................. [APP] o A Look at CALC's Students Apple II RoundTable. GEnie SPECIAL EVENTS ....... [SPC] FOCUS ON .................. [AST] o March/April Calendar of Events. Atari ST RoundTable. Have Yourself a Spring Fling! THE GEnie GAMER ............ [GAM] FOCUS ON ................. [FLA] o CyberStrike! [*]Commodore FlagShip RoundTable o Federation & The Software Club The Missing Link LOG OFF ................. [LOG] About GEnie & LiveWire. [*] = A LiveWire *Online* Exclusive! [IDX] """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" READING LiveWire! LiveWire has incorporated a unique indexing system """"""""""""""""" to help make reading the magazine easier. To utilize this system, load LiveWire into any ASCII word processor or text editor. In the index you will find the following example: HINTS & TIPS ............... [HIN] Moving Smartly On GEnie. To read this article, set your find or search command to [HIN]. If you want to scan all of the articles, search for [EOA]. [EOF] will take you to the last page, whereas [IDX] will bring you back to the index. """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" [EOA] [FRM]////////////////////////////// FROM THE EDITOR / ///////////////////////////////// Getting Productive """""""""""""""""" By Peggy Herrington ____ / ___) ( (__ \__ \ ___) ) (____/olutions to problems are often nearer than they seem, at least for me. I don't know about you, but I'm good at imagining the worst. Only after I've tackled a task I figured particularly onerous, do I realize that it wasn't as bad as I'd feared. Then I wonder why I worried about it. Discovering the optimum way to do that tackling is equally as important. And that's where GEnie enters the picture. Whether, like Jim Meyer, you have a taxing rhyme or you're after one of those ASCII to Zmodem utility programs Chago Santiago mentions, investing the time to scope out a solution can make all the difference. Whether you're concerned with investments or viruses, fun or profit, GEnie has solutions to help you be more productive. You'll find some suggestions among these pages. Remember, too, that GEnie Bulletin Boards can be a great source of advice from members. See you online! Peggy [EOA] [BUS]////////////////////////////// BUSINESS FRONT / ///////////////////////////////// Experts at Your Fingertips """""""""""""""""""""""""" By Holly Jahangiri ___ ___ (_ )( _) / /_/ / / __ / _/ / / / (___)(__)eads up, small business owners and independent contractors! GEnie can extend your reach into the marketplace so far, you'll think you've added a staff of experts -- at a whisp of the cost. Here's how : Get fast, reliable tax help in GEnie's Home Office/Small Business RoundTable (HOSB). Answers to personal and business-related tax questions are provided by HOSB staff members Jack Slick, a Certified Public Accountant, and Brad Solomon, a professional tax preparer. "Quite often," notes GEnie member Willard C. Ellis, "questions you meant to ask your own tax consultant are forgotten during the course of a conversation. When you remember them, he's unavailable. In the HOSB tax topics, the door is always open." For live, last-minute tax help, drop by the Real-Time Conference Room on Sunday, March 21, at 10 PM Eastern time. HOSB's Software Libraries contain a broad range of informational text files which no small business can afford to be without. Take some of the pain out of tax preparation with AMTAX, the highly-acclaimed shareware tax preparation program (AMTAX92.ZIP, #3794). And employers won't want to miss HOSB's "How to Hire the Perfect Employee," on Sunday, March 28, at 10 PM Eastern. On Sunday, April 18, job seekers get the edge in "How to Write Resumes That Get Jobs" at 10 PM. Your Electronic "Yellow Pages" The Business Resource Directory(TM) is a """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" searchable, electronic database that functions like an electronic "Yellow Pages," a Personnel Service/Resume database, and a reference library, all rolled into one. It contains informational listings for thousands of small businesses and self-employed individuals, government agencies, and organizations which help small businesses. The BRD also contains resumes of over 200 individuals in a variety of professions and trades. Opportunity Knocks The Air Force Small Business RoundTable (AFSB3), run """""""""""""""""" by the Air Force Office of Small Business, offers you a convenient way to explore business opportunities with the Air Force. The Commerce Business Daily (CBD), uploaded each weekday to the AFSB3 Library, is an indispensible source of information for small businesses, listing notices of proposed government procurement actions, contract awards, sales of government property, and other procurement information. Files 584-587 in the AFSB3 Library explain how to obtain and read the CBD files you need. If you're interested in doing business with the U.S. Air Force, join these informative Real-Time Conferences: On March 18, find out what Air Force Laboratories buy from small businesses and how to market your products and service to them. On April 15, learn how to sell to Air Force Logistic Centers. Matters Closer to Home Whether you're selling your home or selling out """""""""""""""""""""" of your home, visit with the experts in the Home & Real Estate RoundTable -- appraisers, realtors, builders, landlords, investors, interior designers -- for lively discussions and informative answers. Property tax issues will be discussed in the Real-Time Conference area on Tuesday, March 16 at 10 PM Eastern. And don't loose your proposals, reports, newsletters, and other documents in the paper shuffle. The Desk Top Publishing RoundTable helps you unlock the secrets to professional-quality layout and print ing. GUIDELN.TXT (#2022) offers text formatting tips for newsletters. You'll also find templates, fonts, and clip-art for the most popular DTP platforms. ALPHAQUOTE v3.0 DTP Estimating shareware is a must for DTP professionals (AQ30.EXE, #2071). Use it to estimate large or small jobs; contains industry-standard rates by region. The WordPerfect RoundTable features an extensive collection of clip art to such as the whimsical CAVOL460.ZIP (#3688) "Happychaps at Work," and "Dinosaurs," CAVOL298.ZIP (#3030). For ten great utiliti es for WordPerfect 5.x, download MTWP.ZIP (#3554). If you produce forms and letters on a regular basis, you'll want to add the Letters/Forms Menu System ($WPMENU.ZIP, #3460) to your setup. There's a data base to meet every need in the Data Base RoundTable. EZBILL32.ZIP (#1469) contains a full featured Invoicing and Inventory package. TOLMAN DENTAL VER 3.1 (#1419 and #1420) is an inexpensive, easy-to-use management program, written for the mid-sized dental office. Sales Book (SLS_BK.ZIP, #1299) helps salespeople effectively manage customer contact and prospect lists by territory. Write Your Own Ticket Now even the smallest business can have an """"""""""""""""""""" in-house travel agency. Booking flights and making hotel reservations is a snap with the American Airlines Eaasy Sabre system. And the OAG Electronic Edition Travel Service provides up-to-date schedules and fares for over 600 airlines, as well as instant access to loads of travel-related information. With GEnie, small businesses and individuals have access to an extensive network of experts in a wide variety of fields. Information and resources are never more than a few keystrokes away! RoundTable Keyword Page """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Air Force RT AFSB 1035 American's EaasySabre SABRE 760 Business Resource Directory DIRECTORY 375 Data Base RT DBMS 485 Desk Top Publishing RT DTP 590 Home & Real Estate RT HOME 955 Home Office/Small Business RT HOSB 370 Official Airline Guides OAG 761 PostScript RT PSRT 853 Unix RT UNIX 160 [EOA] [UNC]////////////////////////////// UNCLE SAM / ///////////////////////////////// Uncle Sam Gives You The Business """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" By Donn King _ / \ / - \ / ___ \ (_/ \_)merica's small business sector continues to grow tremendously each year. Even if you work for someone else, you may run a business on the side, or be thinking about it. If you fit any of these three categories, you should know about a new product on GEnie offered through Advanced Research Technologies' ARTIST(R) Gateway System. To make it in business you need customers, and one of the biggest is Uncle Sam. Use Commerce Business Daily (keyword CBD or M1284) to quickly find the latest announcements for product and service proc urements from the U.S. Government. Announcements are posted to this service the day before they appear in the printed publication, so you get the first chance to see the new ones. If you wish you can search for requests for specific products and services, browse key sections, search for specific agencies and locations, or even limit your search to find only those announcements which contain small business set-asides. Also available are listings of contract awards, which are likely to be available for subcontracting. You can search through the latest 90 days of CBD listings to find by announcement title each record which matches your search. You may then elect to read the full announcement record for any of the titles displayed (additional charge applies). If you find no matches for your search, a lower "No-Hit" search fee applies to cover the expense involved in searching this database on your behalf. With thousands of announcements available, you'll want to put a little thought into your search BEFORE you access CBD. Otherwise you're going to end up with a LOT more information than you could ever use! Search Tips Remember, searches in CBD are performed against full """"""""""" records, so your search terms need to be specific enough to find the announcements you want while being broad enough to ensure that all pertinent information is retrieved. When you're searching, you are actually working on a different set of computers so your normal GEnie settings won't necessarily be in effect. However, CBD provides a way for you to change your settings in each session to give you additional flexibility. Read the instructions online for details. CBD is produced by the U.S. Department of Commerce in cooperation with Dialog Information Services, Inc. It is a GEnie$Professional service. Additional charges apply to search and retrieval. [EOA] [INV]////////////////////////////// GEnie! / ///////////////////////////////// A Smart Investment """""""""""""""""" By Donn King _ / \ / - \ / ___ \ (_/ \_)s interest rates on savings accounts remain low, you may want ways to increase your returns. If you invest in the stock market, you will likely want to keep track of precious savings yourself. And wi th the information and brokerage services available on GEnie, you can! In today's volatile market you mainly need information, quickly and easily. Next, you need to be able to move fast to respond to that information. Take Stock Start with Charles Schwab Brokerage Services. Through Schwab """""""""" you can: o Trade stocks, corporate bonds, options, and mutual funds 24 hours a day. o Enter special trade conditions on your orders, just like a professional broker! o Receive REAL-TIME quotes at no additional charge direct from the floor of the exchange along with dividend histories, P/E ratios, earnings per share information, and year high/low price data. o Check trade confirmations online. o Review detailed account balance and position data in your Schwab Brokerage Account. o Cancel or change any outstanding trade orders -- whether or not they were placed online. Schwab's fast securities trading comes at a discounted price. In fact, every online trade executed on GEnie receives a 10 percent commission discount off Schwab's already low rates. Invest in Information Schwab also sponsors the Investor's RoundTable so """"""""""""""""""""" that GEnie customers can share information. Topics include information for the beginning investor (such as "Where to begin ... first questions"); stocks, bonds and associated terms ("19 ways to save money while investing"); options and futures; mutual fund information ("Reading a prospectus"); and general discussions of the market. There are also categories dealing with technical analysis, investment strategies, computers and telephone investment systems, resources (books, associations, etc.), and Dow Jones News/Retrieval. Separate categories consider specific companies and industries in the news. The Bulletin Board also examines specific kinds of investing, such as mutual fund families, retirement planning, foreign investing, and investment clubs. Making It Your Business As you search further for information, make use """"""""""""""""""""""" of Dow Jones News/Retrieval, which provides access to over 70 databases containing company and industry news and information, as well as the full-text of hundreds of national and regional publications. For instance, if you want to know about a particular company, Enhanced Current Quotes (//CQE) offers quotes on common and preferred stocks, corporate and foreign bonds, mutual funds, U.S. Treasury issues and options. (Quotes have minimum 15-minute delay during market hours.) Dow Jones News (//DJNEWS) has stories from The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, Dow Jones News Service and the Canadian Dow Jones News Service, all available within seconds of distribution, back as far as 90 days. Disclosure Database (//DISCLO) even has 10-K extracts, company profiles and other detailed data on 12,000 publicly held companies from reports filed with the SEC and other sources. Picture in Profile It's hard to discuss investments without mentioning """""""""""""""""" Dun & Bradstreet -- we talk about them on GEnie because D&B reports are available through the ART system. The D&B Company Profiles system allows you to quickly locate key statistics for millions of U.S. companies. All you need know is the name of the company; the system does the rest. By entering a company's name, you can get addresses of all its locations, and most profiles contain annual sales, net worth, number of employees and growth rate. You can also limit your search by city or state. More Info Security Objective Services offers you daily investment """"""""" advisory publications called Wall Street SOS and Wall Street SOS Options Alert. These online publications present analyses based on market timing, security selection, and a comprehensive security recommendation and trading system. Although not up-to-the-minute, GEnie's Closing Quotes features composite closing quotes, trading ranges and volumes from the two most recent trading days. Included are more than 5,000 issues traded on the New York and American Stock Exchanges as well as listed over-the-counter (OTC) securities traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) exchange. Over 2,000 Mutual Funds are also represented in Closing Quotes. Closing Stock Quotes is part of GEnie*Basic and is provided by Interactive Data Corporation (IDC), a division of Dun & Bradstreet. Perhaps you want to make a personal investment yourself with a better job. E-Span JobSearch, an employment advertising network, offers a quick and easy means of finding out what employment opportunities are available in your respective field. Whether your investment dollars number in the millions or in more modest numbers, your wisest investment may turn out to be in GEnie. RoundTable or Service Keyword Page """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Charles Schwab Brokerage Services SCHWAB 240 Investors' RoundTable INVEST 290 Dow Jones News/Retrieval DOWJONES 260 D&B Company Profiles D&BPROFILES 1256 Security Objective Services SOS 1295 GEnie Closing Stock Quotes *MONEY 8008 E-Span JobSearch JOB 304 [EOA] [COM]////////////////////////////// COMMUNICATIONS / ///////////////////////////////// [*]Professionally! """""""""""""""""" By Peggy Herrington ______ (__ __) / / / / (_/he world, of course, isn't really getting smaller. It just seems that way since technology began lessening the time needed for word to get around it. GEnie is shrinking the planet further by providing communications at prices professionals simply cannot afford to ignore. With unlimited GE Mail being included in GEnie*Basic Services, how else can you possibly provide direct links between far-flung personnel for only $4.95 a month each? That's the cost of 17 postage stamps! And with Aladdin, you even save the envelopes; set it to send your letters and post your messages while you snooze tonight, and you incoming mail, along with whatever Bulletin Board messages and Library files you told it to get, will be ready and waiting in the morning. Open the Gates Programmers have always proliferated online, of course, """""""""""""" but the gates have been flung wide as other professionals flood through. Savvy business-people and industry associations are aware of the value of GEnie*Basic Bulletin Boards for staying abreast of events and communicating directly with each other -- at a price that's absurdly affordable. Look around; you'll find novelists talking with each other in the Writers' and Science Fiction RoundTables, photographers and videographers in Photobase, accountants in Home Office/Small Business, commercial pilots in Aviation and pastors in Religion -- not to mention professional musicians in MIDI, and professors in the Education RoundTable. Get Informed Companies used to hire clipping services to physically comb """""""""""" through publications gathering stories on events and trends important to their line of work. They paid premiums for weekly reports. Nowdays it's both more efficient and economical to keep an eye on the competition through GEnie$Professional QuikNews, where stories from Reuters World Service and Reuters Business Report (among others) which contain your search terms are sent to you immediately by GE Mail. And the list goes on: GEnie's Internet Mail Gateway which is competitive with similar services (reduced rates include a $2.00 registration fee and $.30 for each 5000 bytes or portion thereof for incoming and outgoing messages, keyword INTERNET), and GEnie*Basic Classified Ads (keyword ADS), along with a host of other timely services. Yes, the world keeps getting smaller, and the downside is that it keeps getting tougher to stake out your territory. GEnie can help you communicate professionally in a variety of ways; sign on and find out. [EOA] [WIN]////////////////////////////// FOCUS ON... / ///////////////////////////////// The Windows RoundTable """""""""""""""""""""" By Holly Jahangiri ___ ___ (_ )( _) / /_/ / / __ / _/ / / / (___)(__)ead for the Windows RoundTable Help Desk for fast, accurate, personal assistance, all provided at GEnie's low, hourly connect-time rates. Help Desk staff members are experienced Windows users, skilled in technical support, troubleshooting and consulting. You'll find them in the Windows Real-Time Conferences Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday evenings from 9:30 PM until 12:30 AM Eastern time. And if you're after software for a growing business at costs that won't break your budget, try these: WYNDFIELDS Database 4 Win v1.0 (WFW.ZIP, #523) is a flexible, general purpose relational database. XTIMELOG.ZIP (#324) maintains a database of projects, helping you record how time is spent and producing a variety of usage reports. An easy-to-use project planner, PLANVIEW.ZIP (#717) comes with samples and on-line help to assist you in planning time-based projects. ROCKFORD.ZIP (#331) helps you design attention-grabbing business cards using TrueType fonts and .BMP graphics. Includes sample .BMP files to get you started. For letterhead, FAX covers, or invoices on a budget, the Letterhead Kit/Windows 2.1 (LTRWIN21.ZIP, #680) for WordPerfect/Windows 5.2 and 5.1 is also must. #419 HIFI209A.ZIP and #420 HIFI209B.ZIP, Hi, Finance! v2.09 is a financial calculation and planning program featuring loan calculation, amortization, investment analysis, business utilities, personal financial planning, automated charts and tables, and more, with iconic, menu, and button bar interfaces. Time & Chaos v3.05 Personal Info Manager (TCHAOS.ZIP, #571) features perpetual calendar, appointment book, to-do list, phone book, autodialer, and powerful search capability. Above & Beyond 2.0 Windows PIM (AB.ZIP, #570) received PC/Computing's "Best Buy" award. It features dynamic scheduling, drag and drop interface, and comprehensive on-line help. MTM20.EXE (#330) is a major upgrade to the original Metz Task Manager, two-time winner of PC Magazine's Editor's Choice Award. Registration gets you a free utility pack as well. Focal Points Each month in the Windows RoundTable a different topic is """""""""""" chosen as the focus of exciting Real-Time Conferences on Thursdays at 9:30 PM. March centers on Communications: FAX, E- MAIL, and MODEMS, while April offers you a chance to explore hardware options with Windows Systems: Choosing Hardware. Watch for announcements from the Windows RoundTable on others. [EOA] [HIP]////////////////////////////// HIP! HIP! HOORAY! / ///////////////////////////////// New for 1993: Less Costly, Access Great! """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" By Neil Harris ______ (__ __) / / / / (_/he big news this year is reduced pricing for daytime access. In addition, GEnie is easier and cheaper to access from many parts of the USA and Canada. New Low Daytime Rates The prime time rate is now only $12.50 per hour. """"""""""""""""""""" This is 30% lower than before and represents almost a 65% reduction from the price of 1990. GEnie ran a special "sale" during part of 1992 to test your reaction to lower rates, and results showed that there was enough interest in access during business hours to justify making this a change permanent. You no longer have to fear the billing clock when you need to use GEnie from work. Business information users will benefit in a big way from these changes. With GEnie's new ARTIST databases in combination with our new prime time rates, GEnie becomes the industry's best bargain for research and business information. Networks There has also been much interest in getting more network """""""" telephone numbers in more areas to reduce the long-distance charges some of you pay to access GEnie. We've made several arrangements to help. SprintNet is now available for members in the continental USA and the Datapac network for Canadian members. SprintNet telephone numbers are listed in the online phone list (type *PHONE at any numbered GEnie page prompt). Datapac numbers are found in the white pages telephone directory throughout Canada under Datapac. WATS Up: 800-Service For those U.S. members in locations not served by """""""""""""""""""" any of these networks, GEnie now has access available through 800 numbers. Our price for this service is very low compared to other services at only a $6 per hour surcharge for up to 2400 baud. This communication surcharge applies to all GEnie usage including GEnie*Basic services. 9600 baud through 800 numbers costs the same as 9600 baud through GEnie's own network! There's a lot more in the works to make GEnie better, faster, cheaper, and easier to use. Watch for more news! 800 Number (WATS) Access Up to 2400 baud: Dial 1-800-362-1296 Price: $6 """""""""""""""""""""""" per hour surcharge above normal rate. 9600 baud: Dial 1-800-847-5260 Price: Regular 9600 baud rates. SprintNet Access Price: $2 per hour surcharge above normal rate, up to """""""""""""""" 2400 baud. Datapac Access Price: $6 (Canadian) per hour surcharge, up to 2400 baud. """""""""""""" [EOA] [IBM]////////////////////////////// FOCUS ON... / ///////////////////////////////// The IBM PC RoundTable """"""""""""""""""""" By Adolfo Santiago ____ (_ _) / / / / _/ / (____) know, as do all technical support people, that having a well-stocked software utility toolkit is a must. It's the secret to solving problems. And because business productivity means solving problems quickly, having such tools at hand is extremely important. Unfortunately, that isn't always the case. Often, a person requests a program that isn't widely available, or a job requires a special utility. In these situations, the support person must turn to out side sources for solutions. The Best Tool in the Toolkit To me, that outside source is always the """""""""""""""""""""""""""" IBM PC RoundTable, possibly my best support tool and an integral part of my toolkit. The RoundTable's accessibility and vast supply of files make it a valuable resource. Whenever I need PC help, I count on the IBM PC RoundTable. This is especially true when time is a consideration. Take, for example, the time one of our engineers came to me, hysterical, at eight in the morning. She needed a screen capture utility to create slides for a presentation two hours hence. Because of time constraints, she couldn't study a complex application to create this presentation; she needed a quick fix. Not only did we not have what she needed on-hand, it was too early in the day to buy it from a store. Screen Grabber to the Rescue The solution was a quick search of the IBM """""""""""""""""""""""""""" PC RoundTable Libraries. Within minutes, we had exactly what she needed: a DOS-based screen grabber called GRABBER.COM (GRABB374.ZIP, #22698). This memory-resident utility captures the current screen image, saving it to disk as a small program file. When you want to display that image, you simply run the program file the utility created. Run several of these programs from within a batch file and you're suddenly the producer of a slide show. I've found the IBM PC RoundTable to be the best source of files and information on every aspect of computing from ASCII to ZModem. From the Bulletin Board, I get answers to hardware and software questions. From the libraries, I get hard-to-find programs and utilities. As a support tool, no tech support person should be without it. It's great for getting out of those tight spots we constantly find ourselves in. [EOA] [HIN]////////////////////////////// HINTS & TIPS / ///////////////////////////////// Moving Smartly on GEnie """"""""""""""""""""""" By Peggy Herrington _ / \ / - \ / ___ \ (_/ \_)laddin is great for keeping current with Bulletin Board action and Software Libraries, but so is knowing how to move around the system on your own. The following commands work great with any comm program (including Aladdin) and are useful when you want to stray from the usual path, say to attend a special event. Look, Ma! No Menus! Main pages on GEnie are numbered in the upper right """"""""""""""""""" corner. Pages display menus listing numbered options for things available there. For instance, to enter a Bulletin Board, Real-Time Conference or Software Library, type the menu number shown on that page and press Return. Since Bulletin Boards are almost always menu option number 1, Real-Time Conferences are option 2, and Libraries are option 3, you can turn off these menus and save time while nagivating the system. Do this by typing C at any numbered page prompt. C stands for Command Mode, and GEnie remembers your setting automatically. Should you arrive at an unfamiliar page with no menu, simply type a question mark (?) to display that menu, or turn the menus back on by typing C again. Smart Moves You needn't wade through menu pages to navigate the system. """"""""""" Keywords, shown immediately under the name of a RoundTable or Service, can be used to speed directly to that page. The keyword for the IBM PC RoundTable, for instance, is IBMPC. Typing IBMPC at any numbered page prompt will whisk you there directly. Keywords beginning with an asterisk are GEnie*Basic pages; for instance, *LIVEWIRE and *MIDI. GEnie's MOVE command is another fast way to get around. Note the page numbers you visit regularly, perhaps the IBM PC RoundTable at page 615. When it's time for a Real-Time Conference there, type MOVE 615;2 or the shorthand version M615;2 from anyplace online -- Conferences, remember, are usually menu option 2. The MOVE command works from many places online. To go directly to the Multi-player Games Bulletin Board from within any Bulletin Board, Library or Chat/Conference, type MOVE 1045;1 -- the page number you want to move to followed a semi-colon and the menu option number. Remember that commands must be prefaced with a slash in live conference: /MOVE 1045;1. Finally, type BYE at any numbered page prompt or from within a Bulletin Board, Library or Conference (/BYE) to end your session and sign off the system. [EOA] [MAC]////////////////////////////// FOCUS ON... / ///////////////////////////////// The Macintosh RoundTable """""""""""""""""""""""" By Stephen Kahn ______ (__ __) / / / / (_/he approach of April brings to mind wonderful matters having to do with taxes, finances, and personal productivity. To find current tax templates in the Macintosh Software Library, do a keyword search on that dreaded word TAX by choosing option 3 from the Library menu. If your 1993 plans include an entrepreneurial venture, start off on the right foot with BIZPLN20.SIT (#23786). This program provides a structured framework for developing a professional plan, and it generates full financial reports and analyses. Making Tracks Then keep track of your operations year-round with first """"""""""""" rate bookkeeping systems such as the Excel templates in BKKP 3.0.CPT (#24891) or the FileMaker Pro templates in DOWNTOBUSINESS 2.0.SEA (#25154). You'll get a winning edge in the battle of balancing your checkbook with SUPERCHECK.SIT (#24876), a WYSIWYG home checkbook accounting program, and BANK STMNT RECONSILE (#24874), an Excel Template. Good organization and record-keeping are the keys to increasing personal productivity, and the Mac Library gives you a boost with files like FMPRO SCRETARY.SIT (#25617), an easily-customized FileMaker Pro template to create cross-referenced information directories; CAT FINDER 41.02.SIT (#25600), a utility with an intuitive Finder-like interface that creates catalogs of disks; HOUSEHOLD SHPR 2.5 (# 25589), a database manager for organizing and printing shopping lists; and HOME INVENTORY 2.SIT (#25502), an easy-to-use FileMaker Pro template that's always handy and could be a life-saver in times of disaster. For harried computer operations supervisors, there's COMPUTER INVENTORY.SIT (#25190), a FileMaker template designed to track large amounts of software and hardware. Planning your schedule is a breeze with CALENDAR MASTER 2.2.SIT (#25490), a superb and flexible, calendar-making stack. And keeping track of business contacts becomes infinitely easier with AUTO ADDRE SS.SIT (#25485), a full-color shareware version of the AutoAddress Multi-User Contact Manager, with form letter generator, envelope printing, extensive import/export features, and thorough on-line help. When keeping track of your time is essential, turn to time manager DAILYDEEDS.SEA (#24966). And to keep from crying on April 15, take a look at the PICT document FUNNY TAX FORM (#22249). Classy 3D Rendered illussion from Apples.GIF, file #24809 [EOA] [SPR]////////////////////////////// SPRING RT ROUNDUP / ///////////////////////////////// Take A Look! """""""""""" o Scorpia's Games Goodies o Computer Virus & Security RT. o History is Now on GEnie. o A Look at CALC's Students >>> Scorpia's Games Goodies <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""" By Kevin J. McCann _ _ ( \ /\ / ) \ \/ \/ / \ / \_/\_/e've all bought games which became instant shelf residents. Not only do they put a hole in your pocket, they provide little if any entertainment value. Then, too, there are games you pass up for lack of information. A great way to reduce the games gamble is to visit Scorpia's RoundTable. There, you'll find a Bulletin Board loaded with support from representatives of many top gaming companies. In the Library you'll find game walk-throughs that can often save you the cost of clue books. And best of all, you'll find playable demos of commercial games in Scorpia's Library, so you can try 'em before you buy 'em. Search on the term DEMO for a list of them. You'll discover playable demos like Microprose's IBM-compatible F15 Strike Eagle III, the latest in their popular jet series. Or Spectrum Holobyte's Falcon, which most players agree is the most realistic jet simulator out there, for the Macintosh. There are demos of strategy adventure games like Alone in the Dark for IBM-compatibles, offering action between six different room angles making it a cinematic experience. And if commanding a fleet interests you, Microprose's IBM-compatible demo of Task Force 1942 is just the thing. Playable game demos improve your buying decisions and range from war to horror to role-playing. Their size can seem imposing, but remember that they can potentially save you big bucks on a bad purchase or guide you to a game that offers days, weeks, even months of fun. Using Zmodem significantly decreases downloading time. The next time you're looking for games, type SCORPIA on GEnie. Number Game Name File Name File Size """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 5486 Alone in the Dark AIDDEMO.ZIP 1302912 5391 Castles II CAST2DMO.EXE 417792 5575 Eric the Unready ERICDEMO.ZIP 1112704 5377 F-15 Strike Eagle III F15SE3.ZIP 797184 5324 World Circuit PC VGA GP386.ZIP 177152 5393 Putt Putt Joins Parade INSTPUTT.EXE 1391360 5400 Maximum Overkill OVERDEMO.EXE 1387008 5495 Task Force 1942 TFDEMO.ZIP 1120128 5346 The Incredible Machine TIMDEM.ZIP 349952 5437 Veil of Darkness VEILDEMO.ZIP 871552 5566 World Circuit F1 WCDEMO.ZIP 1409664 5427 World Circuit Tracks WCTRKS.ZIP 480384 5447 Crosswords XWRDDEMO.ZIP 677248 5399 Mac Falcon MAC FALCON DEMO SIT 502656 >>> Computer Virus & Security RoundTable <<< """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" By Holly Jahangiri ____ (_ _) / / / / _/ / (____)n 1986, Pakistani brothers Basit and Amjad gave an unwelcome "gift" to foreign visitors: bootleg software from local stores came complete with a free copy of the Brain Virus. In 1987, Ken van Wyk discovered a virus afflicting computers at Lehigh University. He sent a message out across the Internet, discussing this "Lehigh Virus." Software author Ross M. Greenberg read that message. He wrote a simple program called Flu_Shot to protect affected files from the Lehigh Virus, and gave it out free. Other programmers soon developed their own anti-virus programs, and the Anti-Virus Industry was born. Ross Greenberg is the Sysop of GEnie's new Computer Virus & Security RoundTable (VSRT, on page 1350), a gathering spot for computer owners and programmers of anti-virus and computer security products. Experts and representatives from many of the major publishers of these products are available to answer questions on a specific virus or other computer security issues in a timely manner. Freeware, shareware, and demo packages to protect your system from viruses and other abuse may be downloaded from the Software Libraries. And commercial products will be offered to GEnie members from time to time at reduced rates. With a new anti-virus package coming out every two weeks and about three new viruses being discovered every day, there's almost as much danger from information overload as there is from computer viruses. "There's been more damage from spilled cups of coffee in keyboards than from computer viruses," says Greenberg. The VSRT helps members separate the hype from the facts in vendor claims, and keeps vendors in touch with consumers' needs. Security, Too Protecting your computer and data from computer viruses is """"""""""""" only part of the job. Prying eyes and malicious fingers are another matter. The Computer Virus & Security RoundTable has a number of computer security professionals on board, experts in methods of protecting your valuable data through hardware and software encryption techniques, retinal scanning, challenge-back systems, fingerprint scanning, voice recognition, and other vital forms of defense against the Bad Guy. Discussions in the VSRT regarding security are always stimulating, since security and ease of access are important but conflicting interests. So the next time some stranger seems to know your salary increase before you do, or your PC pops off and tells you it has a brain, join the pros at the Computer Virus & Security RoundTable. They're on your side! >>> History Is Now on GEnie <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""" _ _ By Donn King ( \ / ) \ \/ / \ / / / (_/ou know your great-grandfather's name, but that's all you know about him. How do you find out more? You know he came from Scotland -- but why? What was happening in Scotland in the 1870s? You can hop bodily around the nation and the globe looking for answers. Or, while still doing some hopping if you wish, you can hook into GEnie's Genealogy and History RoundTable (keyword GENEALOGY, Page 540). The RoundTable, originally devoted to tracing family roots, recently sprouted an additional area and added History to its name. "Throughout most of 1992 there were topics on migration, Civil War, the Celts, etc., that weren't really within the scope of the RoundTable, but this also seemed a logical place to discuss them," said Rhonda McClure, chief sysop for the RoundTable. "While talking with GEnie one day, we decided history would be a good and natural extension of the Genealogy RoundTable." RoundTable History "We have seen tremendous response," said Shannon Elder, """""""""""""""""" sysop for American History 1775-1900. "Scholars and novices both seem to enjoy the interplay. There is something on the board for everyone who has an interest in history." McClure advises members entering the History section "to not worry if they don't have a Ph.D. or any formal historical training, since the discussions are really for everyone." She said that discussions of history cut off at the year 1900 to avoid overlap with other RoundTables. Several sysops have a dual interest in genealogy and history. For instance, McClure Knows a lot about Colonial New England. She recently wrote historical articles about the Salem Witch Trials 300 years ago for various genealogy magazines. Librarian and Bulletin Board Archivist James Casto has a special knowledge of Northwest Native American tribes and the Oregon trail. Elder is a Civil War re-enactor. "I frequently receive telephone calls from strangers around the country who have heard about me and are looking for information about the War," said Elder. "I'm currently working on two books which deal with Civil War terminology." The RoundTable's Family Tree The Bulletin Board is divided into two major """""""""""""""""""""""""""" sections: Categories 1-38 for Genealogy (tracing your family's roots), and Categories 39-49 for History. Within the Genealogy division you'll find topics on Genealogy Software, including 15 packages supported through the RoundTable; Resources, including how-to topics dealing with vital records, church records, court records, cemetery and funeral home records, census records and others; Research Exchange, where members exchange information (which saves a LOT of travel); Genealogy Helps, Hints, and Alternate Tools, where you can learn how to "do" genealogy; Native American discussions; and extensive Categories based on family names. The History division, the newest section of the RoundTable, has topics on American history (both pre- and post-1775); British Isles history; World history, including the rest of the world (as regions pick up more activity, they spin off into their own areas in the Bulletin Board); and other topics such as re-enactments, mythology, and military history. Dust-Free Files The Genealogy and History RoundTable's Software Library """"""""""""""" has useful files and archives for you as you use GEnie like a time machine. The bulk of it consists of archived Bulletin Board topics. Members also post family trees in standard genealogical formats to help others looking for connections (for instance, file #4863, SCHELL.ZIP, contains a listing of the Schell family tree). Search using your grandparents' surnames as search terms. The Library has software for IBM, Macintosh, and other platforms for maintaining databases of family trees and printing them out in standard genealogical formats. For instance, HYPERTREE II V1.4++.SEA (file# 4622) for Macintosh is a self-unstuffing archive containing a data base stack, a separate help stack and short text document about the data stack plus other goodies. It stores information and pictures about individuals and family relationships and allows you to create professional documents in an orderly format. CTREE.ZIP (file# 3942) for IBM is a genealogy program called Cumberland Tree. It is "limited" to 9,999 names. It allows entry of individual names, birth, christening, marriage, death and burial dates and places tying them all together automatically as a family and extended family structure. It will print out pedigree charts, descendant charts, family group sheets, individual and marriage listings, birthdays, anniversaries, ordinance check lists and many other reports. Modern History and Special Events The Genealogy and History RoundTable """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" holds regular Real-Time Conferences for beginners Tuesday nights at 9 PM Eastern time, for History Wednesday nights at 10 PM, and for Genealogy Friday nights at 10 PM. The RoundTable will host a couple of special Real-Time Conferences for March and April. On March 24 at 10 p.m. EST will be a History HANGMAN game. This game will feature lots of different time periods and localities, with the winner receiving GEnie time. On April 16 will be a Genealogy HANGMAN, concentrating on various terms genealogists encounter during their searches. The winner of this will be eligible for a Commsoft Sesame software package (a database program designed specifically for genealogists). Also during the month of April the RoundTable will hold a "Design the Front Door" contest judged by the sysops. The winner will receive a two-week Free Flag in the RoundTable. >>> A Look at CALC's Students <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" By Margaret Morabito (Director of CALC) _ _ ( \ / ) \ \/ / \ / / / (_/ou've heard of CALC's innovative online school, which offers tutoring and courses on GEnie. However, we thought you might like to know what some of our students have done. Let's take a look. CALC's Tutoring and Homework Center offers drop-in tutoring in math, science, English, and social studies. Last fall, 25-year-old Colette Huftalen was enrolled in a chemistry course at a local college and felt needed some extra study sessions. She came into CALC and touched base with our chemistry teacher, Bernie Hiles. They met weekly in CALC's Real-Time Conference classroom where Mr. Hiles tutored Colette throughout the semester right up to her final exam. They also used the Science Library and Bulletin Board where he was able to provide her with chemistry study materials to supplement her offline materials. Tutoring and homework help is a free service of CALC since you pay only regular GEnie connect charges. And you don't have to be a registered member of CALC. Just leave a note on one of our public tutoring boards. You will be contacted quickly by one of our tutors. We encourage middle and high school students to take advantage of this inexpensive service. Self-Study Courses In the CALC Course Center, we offer 8-week courses to """""""""""""""""" registered students each quarter. These Self-Study courses have become popular because of our optional attendance policy. Vinny Colletti, for example, is a 41-year-old maintenance mechanic and groundskeeper who has completed one year of college. He took Geo Massar's C Programming I course from CALC last fall. Vinny, like many of our students, was drawn to our Self-Study course format. He says, "I've taken night classes before, but I prefer CALC's online format. The self-study approach is perfect for someone like me as I can't always attend live, conference classes. I believe I'm actually learning more than I would in night classes this way. And the Bulletin Board lets me to communicate with my classmates, an exchange that wouldn't take place if I had to race out the door of an offline class to get home." As you can see, many of our students are adults; however, we invite younger students join the fun, too. CALC's Spring Term Course Registration opens on March 1. The complete CALC Course Catalog is online on page 174. Apply for membership ($35/year) and register for your courses ($25-$50) on page 179. [EOA] [*S*]////////////////////////////// FOCUS ON... / ///////////////////////////////// The *StarShip* Amiga RoundTable """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""" By Jim Meyer ____ / ___) ( (__ \__ \ ___) ) (____/pring is sprung, the grass is riz. I wonder what my taxes is? Ah, the perennial question. Once upon a time, the advent of April meant scurrying throughout the house tracking down receipts and forms, sharpening pencils, and frazzling one's nerves. Thanks to the computer, though, much of this -- except the nerves -- is obsolete. If you have a word processor, database, spreadsheet, and financial program, much of the tedium involved in calculating your taxes can be automated. These programs needn't cost the few bucks Uncle Sam leaves you, either. There are a number of public domain and shareware programs to fill this need, at a price that won't extend the mortgage on your house. So relax. With a little preparation, they can help you organize papers, crunch numbers, fill out forms, and even write a nice letter to your friendly IRS office. Here's a few of these files in the *StarShip* Libraries: The Portfolio (PORTFOLIO21A.LZH, file #17769) is an electronic version of one of those bound organizers. Built around a text editor, it includes many extras. There's an appointment calendar, so you'll know when you have to face the music, as well as an address book, disk database, and even a grocery list. Should you find yourself stumped for impressive-sounding words, Portfolio has a "power words" feature, a list from which you can select words like "xenophobia" or "compensatory." (You'll need a spelling checker, though. Mr. Swiderski is a better programmer than speller.) That spelling checker, by the way, might be SUPERSPELL11.LHA, File #14149. Written by Jonathan Potter of Directory Opus fame, SuperSpell runs in the background, checking each word as you type, in any multitasking window. Being organized - and having perfect spelling - are only preliminary steps. Sooner or later, you'll have to face the dreaded Form 1040, and you just might need some help. One of the most popular financial and tax preparation programs for the Amiga, Pha$ar, is discussed at length on in Category 4, Topic 24. And you'll find 1992 forms in PHASAR_TAX_FRMS.LHA, File #14799. For the latest information on available forms and other info, search the Libraries using the term TAX. [EOA] [APP]////////////////////////////// FOCUS ON... / ///////////////////////////////// The Apple II RoundTable """"""""""""""""""""""" By Dean Esmay (Apple II Chief Sysop) ______ (__ __) / / / / (_/he Apple II RoundTable recently celebrated its 20,000th file upload! Great excitement was generated by this event, and prizes were awarded to those who helped reach this goal. This proves once and for all that, despite rumors to the contrary, the Apple II is alive and thriving. Here in the Apple II RoundTable, we're always ready to prove just how much power your Apple II has locked inside of it, and how much we have to offer to help you unlock it! As April 15 approaches, check the A2 Library for programs and templates to help get those returns filed. To help with finances the rest of the year, check out the host of general finance programs available in A2. Here's some of the most interesting: 19624 APLWRTR.2.1.BXY Apple Writer, powerhouse word processor now freeware 19484 DOS3.3.LNCH.BXY Run DOS 3.3 programs from your IIgs hard drive 19478 AW.INSTRUCT.BXY Basic Instructions for Apple Writer 19437 WPLEXP2.1.BXY WPL Expansion Kit for Apple Writer 19399 BEST.FONTS.BXY Best Apple II fonts collected from our library 19210 AWPATCH.BXY Apple Writer 2.1 IIgs print patch 19199 HOUSE.BUY.BXY AppleWorks: House buying templates 19151 RETIRE.BXY Appleworks: NAUG Retirement Calculator Disk 18671 FINANCE.GS.BXY A great IIgs finance manager 18305 DBM.ORDERS.BXY Order/Inventory system template for DB Master Pro 17966 YRMONEYMATR.BXY IIgs Home & Small Busines finance managment program 17895 HAS.BXY Home Accounting System for the IIgs 17323 INVENTORY.BXY Simple, straightforward general inventory program 17320 INTREST.PRG.BXY A simple general loan program 16744 STKR.DATA.BXY Stocker data files & market comments 16726 WALLST.GAME.BXY Wall Street Trader game/simulation 16684 STKR.PROGS.BXY Disk #2 of Stocker program 16683 STKR.START.BXY Stocker, stock market analysis program 16640 MONEY.DEMO.BXY IIgs Personal Finance program demo 14067 ACCOUNT.II.BXY Personal Finance and Tax program 13406 CHECKPLUS.BXY Appleworks: CheckbookPlus templates v.1.1 13331 HBS.V1.1.BXY Home accounting system 11124 FUT.INV.VAL.BXY Appleworks: Future Invest Value 11012 SHARETRACK.BXY Tracks Stock Investments 11010 INVEST.ACCM.BXY Appleworks: Accumulated investment value 10971 RESOURCES.BXY Appleworks: Personal Assets Template 10970 WEEK.EXPENS.BXY Appleworks: Track Weekly Business Expenses 5563 ULTIMATE.BNY Ultimate Banker-Home banking program 3330 FINANCES.1.1.BNY Four finance programs in one - simple & useful Note, most programs work on 128K Apple IIe, IIc, or IIgs. IIgs Programs are specified. [EOA] [SPC]////////////////////////////// GEnie SPECIAL EVENTS / ///////////////////////////////// It's Happening On GEnie! """""""""""""""""""""""" o March/April Calendar of Events o Have Yourself A Spring Fling! >>> MARCH THROUGH APRIL <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""" Eastern Time Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 8:00 SFRT1 MAC Help MAC Help MAC Help MAC Help MAC Help AMIGA PM BORLAND Chat Ch3 Chat Ch3 Chat Ch3 Chat Ch3 Chat Ch3 5-MINUTE News SCORPIA 8-10PM 8-10PM 8-10PM 8-10PM 8-10PM 3PM-3AM Sierra PK AMIGA Hints Poker Night 5-MIN News UNIX 6PM-3AM Internet Help 8:30 GEOWORKS ENABLE PM 9:00 RADIO SHOWBIZ AMIGA MILITARY PCALADDIN AMIGA ASTROLOGY PM Listening Live Chat HelpDesk General Automate HelpDesk GENIEUS PF:Current GENEALOGY FAMILY FAMILY INVEST GEnieJAM! Events Beginners Mothers Teens Q&As AMIGA SPACE ROMANCE AMIGA WRITERS HelpDesk MAC:Fights AMIGA HelpDesk ROMANCE SFRT3 AMIGA HelpDesk DBMS AMIGA Force HelpDesk GERMANY HelpDesk HelpDesk MAC Help FAMILY UNIX Tutorials 9:30 IBMPC A2 IBMPC IBMPC SCORPIA A2 AMIGA PM General New Users Comms OpSystems Open House Telecom News A2 AUTO A2 A2 A2:TBC Forum AMIGA 3PM-3AM II Speak CarTC Guest Hypermedia WP News A2 SFRT3 WINDOWS SFRT1 AMIALADDIN WordPerfect 6PM-3AM SmalBiz Pern MAC 9:45 Writers SCORPIA STALADDIN MPGRT RADIO WRITERS Talk ERT:Parents Ask Sysops MPGRT BattleTech All Types HomeSchool ERT Air Warrior WINDOWS AMIGA DTP MPGRT WINDOWS SFRT3 5-MIN News LAPTOPS Ask Sysops General Queen's Own 3PM-3AM WINDOWS WRITERS MAC 9:45 MAC 9:45 Non-Fiction Telecom Hypercard WINDOWS SFRT1 MAC 9:45 Alt. History Games 10:00 AMIGA FLORIDA AMIGA HOME AMIGA ASTROLOGY AMIGA PM Graphics Orlando Music Moose Manor Video Beginners Party FORTH AMIGA WRITERS AMIGA GERMANY SFRT1 MOTOr- SFRT3 DTP Poetry AmiGames AVIATION General SF cycle SCA ST CBM ST: Atari MPGRT GENEALOGY CBM FOOD DTP HOME Open House GemStone HOME FOOD Cooks Chat SFRT2 Open House GERMANY CANADA Q-Hut Beer- MOTOr- Star Trek MOTOr- CBM SFRT2 CBM Tasting cycles MPGRT cycles PRO/AM(iga) Quantum Leap HOME HOSB DragGate UNIX GEOWORKS FOOD Parlor HOME CBM Open Q/As SFRT2 Cooking&Computers Games CBM SCUBA On Screen FAMILY MAC Help (Last Mondays) SFRT3 Singles UNIX Star Wars CBM NeXT UNIX Internet Help Chat Ch4 10:30 SFRT1 MAC JAPAN MAC PM Horror Powerbooks Fonts MAC EduMac 11:00 CBM MACHelp SCORPIA CBM PHOTO MUSIC CBM PM 11PM-1AM Star Fleet MAC Help General Night-Owls MAC Help 11PM-1AM MAC Help MAC Help 11PM-1AM 11PM-1AM 11PM-1AM UNIXpensive Midnight ASTROLOGY LEFTCOAST Mystic TGIF! Enter the keyword (shown in capital letters, MPGRT, for example) at any numbered GEnie page prompt to reach the RoundTable hosting these Special Events. Topics are subject to change without notice. Chat Lines hosts a delightful variety of multi-player games and fascinating theme chats on weekends, weekday evenings and during the wee hours, plus Breakfast Chats at 6AM Eastern time. Complete schedule on GEnie Page 400. [*][*][*] The Easter Bunny Hits the Left Coast! The Easter Bunny hosts an exciting """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Easter Egg Hunt on the Left Coast RoundTable during Spring Fling, April 2-16 with lucky hunters who find the most eggs winning prizes! Details on GEnie Page *SPRING or in any Left Coast Real-Time Conference on Fridays at 9PM Pacific, Saturdays and Sundays at Midnight Pacific Time. Get Ready for Monday Morning! Get ready for Monday mornings with these """"""""""""""""""""""""""""" Sunday night Real-Time Conferences in the Home Office/Small Business RoundTable: Last Minute Income Tax Help, Sunday, March 21; How to Hire the Perfect Employee, Sunday, March 28; How to Write Resumes That Get Jobs, Sunday, April 18. That's 10PM Eastern Time; Keyword HOSB. Selling to Uncle Sam Interested in doing business with the U.S. Air """""""""""""""""""" Force? Attend these informative Real-Time Conferences: On Thursday, March 18, find out what Air Force Laboratories buy from small businesses and how to market your products and services to them. On Thursday, April 15, learn how to sell to Air Force Logistic Centers. Keyword: AFSB3. >>> HAVE YOURSELF A SPRING FLING! <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ______ (__ __) / / / / (_/his spring -- as flowers nudge their noses through the frosted earth and birds swoop back to build their nests -- you can get your sap running again by having a fling on GEnie! Starting Friday, April 2nd, for two full weeks, you can meet your friends online (not to mention making new ones) by exploring interesting new products and revisiting old favorites as you take part in exciting activities, many of which feature prizes like free time on GEnie! Spring Fling encompasses a variety of fun-filled activities, many of them sponsored by GEnie*Basic Services. You'll do things like discover recently uploaded files, learn about interesting products you may not have been aware of, and potentially investigate new activities in dozens of places around the system. Hop, Hop, Hopping Along You can even meet a celebrity during Spring """"""""""""""""""""""" Fling -- GEnie's own Easter Bunny. He'll be hopping everywhere, awarding prizes and hosting festivities like his world-famous Easter Egg Hunts. He might even lead you to brand new areas online no one has ever seen before! And don't forget that Good Friday, April 9th, is an official GEnie holiday. You can enjoy low non-prime time rates all day as you have the fling of your spring-time life. Spring Fling starts officially on Friday, April 2nd, and ends two weeks later on Friday, April 16th. You can learn all the exciting details starting March 30th by typing the keyword *SPRING at any num bered GEnie page prompt. As always, keywords prefaced by an asterisk [*] lead you to pages included in your monthly membership fee. Like GEnie*Basic Bulletin Boards, you do not incur connect time charges when you're online in those areas. So come have your Spring Fling on GEnie! You'll be glad you did. [EOA] [AST]////////////////////////////// FOCUS ON... / ///////////////////////////////// The Atari ST RoundTable """"""""""""""""""""""" By D. A. Brumleve _ _ ( \ / ) \ \/ / \ / / / (_/ou'll find lots of support for record-keeping in the ST RoundTable. Library 6 contains programs and files related to business, and Bulletin Board Category 6 specializes in business programs while Category 13 offers word processing support. One program I've found indispensible for both home and business use is CardFile, an address database designed by Tyson Gill, distributed by Gribnif Software. CardFile's unique ability to run as either a desk accessory or a stand-alone program lets you call up addresses while working within a word processor, terminal program, or the like. CardFile even sends information to the program you are using! CF4DEMO.LZH (#25681) is a working demo version, and you'll find related data files in the Libraries. Jim Kudron uploaded ATRICARD.LZH (#22123) after scanning magazine ads to get vendor contact information. The Independent Association of Atari Developers periodically uploads a CardFile database of its membership; search under IAAD for the latest version. Offered as freeware by Joe Andrews, The Financial Calculator (FCALC25.LZH, #18542) will help you figure loan payments, even if you make additional payments beyond those demanded by your mortgage schedule. If you need a solid business graphing and statistics program, check out Bob Wilson's BSTAT243.LZH (#25025). It's a commercial product in France, but shareware in the rest of the world. Doug Harrison's shareware Opus spreadsheet (OPUS22.ARC, #11758) has saved many headaches at tax time. No one should attempt to use a spreadsheet without the benefit of documentation, so be sure to download OPUSDOC.ARC (#11759) as well. Each year, ST RoundTable members upload templates to help with tax preparation in the US and Canada. 1992 tax year templates are not available at press time, but a search under OPUS will identify them. Mouse, Mouses, Mice While some folks are satisfied with the stock Atari """"""""""""""""""" mouse, the proliferation of replacements in the marketplace indicates that many seek an alternative. Professionals may be especially interested in the choice provided by Manfred Doewich of CyberCube: the CyRel Serial Mouse Manager Utility makes it possible to use a variety of serial mice and graphics tablets with all ST computers. A working demo version can be found in #26652, S_MOUSE.LZH. Grab The Financial Calculator, file #18542 FCALC25.LHZ. [EOA] [GAM]////////////////////////////// THE GEnie GAMER / ///////////////////////////////// Online FUN! """"""""""" o CyberStrike! o FEDERATION & THE SOFTWARE CLUB: The Missing Link >>> CyberStrike! <<< """""""""""""""""""" By Kevin J. McCann _ / ) / / / / / (_ (____)ightning flashed across the stormy sky. "Be ready," I whispered to my fellow blues through the intercom. Rain pelted my windshield, a grim reminder of the devastating damage the reds had laid upon us earlier, destroying most of our towers. Without them, we had no power; and without power, our pods had no life. I watched as the distant fog continued rolling closer. "Switch to infrared," I whispered. Muttered acknowledgments followed. A few more moments and it would begin. Soon the fog permeated the air around us. "Now!" I cried. Instantly, I felt my pod come to life, its powerful mechanical legs moving me across the platform. I watched one of our blue pods disappear into a tunnel while others raced along platforms to my left and right. Exhilaration hit me as my pod descended the platform. There they were! And not alone -- the reds were being distracted by the greens! This was better than I'd dared to hope. "Destroy their towers!" I barked, turning my pod toward the red tower on the platform above me. Lifting the turret, my blasters ripped through the air. In seconds, only dust remained. As we began laying waste to the others, I ordered our towers brought in, and soon the sky roared as our giant Guppy air support appeared, dropping blue towers about us. Our power supplies surged as we charged toward the reds. Noting our fortifications, the greens made a hasty retreat. Didn't matter -- our score was with the reds, not them. Another red pod exploded, now only two remained... New PodCity Welcome to Simutronic's latest multi-player game -- """"""""""" CyberStrike, a sophisticated futuristic shoot 'em up featuring startingly good 3-D VGA graphics, polygon animation, and great sound. In CyberStrike, you control a walking CyberPod in a 3D virtual reality environment. Each player is on one of four teams, battling for territory in one of several CyberCities. In your CyberPod, you can travel down streets, up ramps, over bridges, through tunnels, and leap from building to building. Aircraft criss-cross the sky delivering supplies and providing air support. And lurking below are enemy CyberPods and other disloyal machines of destruction. The challenge is to maneuver your pod through the CyberCity, tracking down and destroying enemy pods. This isn't easy since you're playing against real people in those pods, but you do have team-mates . In order to succeed, you must plan your strategic objectives carefully, then lead assaults to secure key sectors of the city. Your ranking depends on your ability to execute devastating surgical strikes and, in a pinch, defend your territory. As you play, your BattlePod increases its expansion bays which lets you install up to nine expansion modules, from a selection of over forty. Each expansion module provides your pod with capabilities like increased fire-power or the ability to wreak havoc with your enemies' strategic objectives by changing the dynamics of the CyberCity itself. Expansion bay improvements carry over from game to game, but be careful; too many losses in battle result in a bay downgrade. CyberStrike requires a Graphical Front End program (which can be downloaded from GEnie) for IBM-compatibles, 20 MHz, 386SX or better. It supports most sound cards with explosive digital sound effects. 256-color VGA graphics are used to good effect. For example, the environment of the city changes as time passes, from day to night, overcast, rain, storms with lightning, even fog. Easy Access CyberStrike is more than a state-of-the-art graphical """"""""""" multi-player game. Simutronics set out to tackle the intimidating effect multi-player games tend to have on first-time players. As chief designer David Whatley says, "We wanted to create a game that anyone can get into and have fun. Learning to play shouldn't even require a manual, and once you get started, there's lots of action to hold your interest. I think our approach is a big step in the right direction for online multi-player gaming." Indeed, CyberStrike does make it easy for the new player. Large buttons, such as one aptly marked PLAY, make starting out simple. And special Training CyberCities employ a limited set of the rules so you can learn the ropes before mixing it up with veterans. Bang for the buck, CyberStrike's action and gameplay are hard to beat. Now, where'd those other two red CyberPods get to? Type CYBERSTRIKE on GEnie to find out. >>> FEDERATION & THE SOFTWARE CLUB <<< """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ~ The Missing Link ~ _ By Fi Craig / \ / - \ / ___ \ (_/ \_)lan Lenton, the man behind GEnie's Adult Space Fantasy game Federation II, is a busy man. Not only has a host of new features like Smuggling, Duchies and Player Designed Planets been added to the game recently, but a Multimedia Terminal program for IBM PC-compatibles and the Amiga is now available as well! Federation's Multimedia Terminal is a revolutionary step forward in multiplayer games. It lets you communicate with digitised sounds and graphics, rather than just text. You can build your own library of samples and pictures, and customize the Terminal to display them when a corresponding trigger is received as you play FedII. Using art and audio packages, you can create your own PC-compatible or Amiga multimedia files. Or you can simply download them from the new Federation Software Library on GEnie page 220. That's where you can exchange multimedia files so that other Fedders can actually hear your voice when you laugh, cry or simply say "Hi." Get your friends files there, too. Simply type FED at any numbered GEnie page prompt. A Secret Life Besides developing Federation, Alan Lenton has a secret, """"""""""""" second life. He writes killer wargames. Frontline, his latest, is a squad-level strategy wargame for PC- compatibles, Amiga and Atari ST. It takes a highly detailed approach to the World War II battles at Cassino, Guadalcanal, Stalingrad and Pegasus Bridge. Software Club has licenced Frontline from Alan and made it available for downloading. Software Club enables members to download select commercial games at regular GEnie connect rates, for a membership fee of just $10 a year. Each month, one or two new games are made available so there's always a good selection for PC-compatible, Amiga and Atari ST owners to choose from. Onslaught is another typically smashing Software Club game, packed with addictive and varied gameplay. You fight your way across huge, highly detailed levels -- using your choice of powerful weapons - - against an onslaught of evil warriors. From arcade action to strategy wargames, Software Club has something for everyone. Just type SOFTCLUB or M1115 at any numbered GEnie page prompt to get there. [EOA] [FOC]////////////////////////////// FOCUS ON... / ///////////////////////////////// The Commodore FlagShip RoundTable """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" By John W. Brown _ _ ( \ /\ / ) \ \/ \/ / \ / \_/\_/hen Commodore owners think of productivity two things usually come to mind: GEOS and Creative Micro Designs (CMD). GEOS is the leading software package for Commodore computers, while CMD is the leading hardware and software manufacturer. Some of the most popular products for GEOS are replacements and utilities for its Desktop. CMD offers a super replacement Desktop called Gateway; details can be found in CMD support Category 12 in the Bulletin Board. Once in a while an outstanding piece of shareware achieves commercial status, and Dualtop fills that bill. Dualtop is a replacement for the GEOS Desktop authored by Paul Murdaugh. The Flagship has shareware versions of Dualtop in our Libraries: C-64 owners should download file #9151, while C-128 versions are in files #9351 and #9358. Paul's support topic can be found in Category 15, and he can be reached directly as P.MURDAUGH. One of the best things about the Flagship is our own prolific programmer and Sysop, Ed Bell. One of Ed's most unique programs is file #9687, Total Recall. Total Recall lets you make refrigerator-sized calendars with text and graphics, and it is stuffed with features. Up to eight graphics can be used to represent chores or important events for any day. For example, pictures of a dog (the vet), a school (PTA meeting), and a camera (pick up your film) can serve as personalized visual reminders. What do smart C-128 owners use to edit message and GE Mail? The fine text editor ZED-128, file #9917, by Craig Bruce. It's fast, it's hot, and it's full-featured. If you need a checking book template for TimeWorks' Swiftcalc 128, see file #7553 TEMPLATE1.1.ARC written and uploaded by yours truly. One of the hottest shareware utilities for the C-128 has been the Servant in Library files #10330-10333, by Alf Jonassen. This set of utilities does just about everything possible to a disk or files. To top it off, it can be burned into an EPROM so give you instant access to it when you boot your computer. [EOA] [LOG]////////////////////////////// LOG OFF / ///////////////////////////////// About GEnie & LiveWire """""""""""""""""""""" GEnie's Computing RoundTables Type Keyword or M### at any numbered GEnie page prompt RoundTable Sysop Mail Keyword Page# """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Windows WIN$ WINDOWS 1335 IBM PC IBM$ IBMPC 615 Macintosh DRACO MAC 605 *StarShip* Amiga STARSHIP$ AMIGA 555 Apple II A2.HELP A2 645 Atari ST INFO$ ST 475 Atari 8-Bit AT$ ATARI8 665 Commodore Flagship FLAGSHIP$ CBM 625 [*][*][*] GEnie Client Services 1-800-638-9636 GEnie LiveWire is published six times annually for subscribers to GEnie online services by GE Information Services, 401 N. Washington St., Rockville, MD 20850. Contents may not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Inquiries should be sent to GEnie LiveWire, P.O. Box 6413, Rockville, MD 20850, or GE Mail Address LIVEWIRE. LiveWire is produced by Jainschigg Communications, 29-05 Broadway, Astoria NY 11106, 718/545-2900, fax 718/545-8200. Advertising Sales: Greg Rapport, 108 Morningside Drive, Trenton NJ, 609/393-1586, Fax 718/545-8200. LiveWire reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertising at any time, and shall not be subject to any liability for its rejection or cancellation. LiveWire reserves the right to require any advertising material to be labeled "advertisement" if deemed necessary. JOINING GEnie IS EASY """"""""""""""""""""" 1. Set your communication software to half duplex (local echo) at 300/1200/2400 baud. 2. Dial toll-free 1-800-638-8369 (in Canada dial 1-800-387-8330). Upon CONNECTion, enter HHH. 3. At the U#= prompt type SIGNUP and press RETURN. 4. Have a major credit card account number ready. In the U.S. you may also user your checking account. (c) 1993 General Electric Company. [EOF]