_The Doctor__ Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 There are many references on Google to versions of AtariLink that seemed to be out in the wild. I don't know for sure if it was free or commercial, or if this 2.0 prototype version ever made it to a release. I did stumble across this podcast interview with Pab that I have to listen to now! Maybe it will answer some questions... http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-56-pab-sungenis-developer there was a 2.0 release 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 Thanx Doc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariGeezer Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 Here's the Fixed Program Disk for Atari Link 2.0 BBS Prototype Atari Link 2.0 BBS Prototype Program Disk (Fixed).atr 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari Nut Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 When it gets to the point "Waiting for call...", how do you simulate an incoming call? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangentAudio Posted March 15, 2017 Author Share Posted March 15, 2017 It's one of the 'extra' keys (Start/Select/Option)... Forgot which one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari Nut Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 Yep, it's F3 (Select). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariGeezer Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 Found more AtariLink 2.0 ATR's, includes the Configurator, BBSFONT ATASCII Screen Editor, Docs and more ATLink-Main.atr ATLink-Utils.atr ATLink-ExtCmd.atr ATLink-Manual.atr 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 Some amusing stuff on the work disk... Don't use the disk; surely it has a virus!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariGeezer Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 (edited) And for Archival, Here's AtariLink BBS 1.4 that was on one of my ATR-8000 disks NO DOS though AtariLink BBS 1.4 Program.atr AtariLink BBS 1.4 WorkDisk.atr AtariLink BBS 1.4 Docs.atr Edited March 15, 2017 by AtariGeezer 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangentAudio Posted March 15, 2017 Author Share Posted March 15, 2017 Found more AtariLink 2.0 ATR's, includes the Configurator, BBSFONT ATASCII Screen Editor, Docs and more ATLink-Main.atr ATLink-Utils.atr ATLink-ExtCmd.atr ATLink-Manual.atr Very nice! I would guess these must be the released version. Would be an interesting project for someone with more time than I have to do some comparisons of code between the prototype and the release. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangentAudio Posted March 18, 2017 Author Share Posted March 18, 2017 I've been listening to the ANTIC Podcast with Pab, it's definitely worth a listen! http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-56-pab-sungenis-developer He remembers a lot of really good details if you were familiar with the Atari modems of the day (1030, XMM301, SX212, etc.). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariGeezer Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 I've been listening to the ANTIC Podcast with Pab, it's definitely worth a listen! http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-56-pab-sungenis-developer He remembers a lot of really good details if you were familiar with the Atari modems of the day (1030, XMM301, SX212, etc.). Cool, will have to listen to this tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangentAudio Posted March 18, 2017 Author Share Posted March 18, 2017 I emailed Pab through his web site and received confirmation that those disk labels are indeed his handwriting! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmccorm Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 I've had some luck getting a fresh copy of the work disk after a number of tries. Check out the crazy stuff going on between 1:24 and 1:30 in the video ... Looks like some self-modifying code, maybe deleting some lines no longer needed and doing some other stuff. This is an old thread, but I had to jump in here to say that's almost certainly what is going on. If an Atari 8-bit BBS in BASIC was running tight on memory (which one of the screenshots said it was), they'd resort to a number of tricks to gain some of it back. One of the things done early on would be to replace the most commonly used numbers (like 0-10, 20, 50, 100, etc) with variables C0, C1, C2 ... C100. After some initial overhead, even if the variables were used just a few times, it ended up saving space. (And more so with each subsequent use.) Another method (seen here) was to clear out any initialization code that wouldn't need to run a second time. But if you had to restart the BBS, you'd just load the initial BASIC program once again. Usually clearing out lines of code is done with an ENTER command with a locally stored file. What is unusual about the method that they used was that they seemed to read in and display a text file, reposition the cursor at the top of the screen, break to immediate mode, and then force carriage returns to step through the modified lines. This was repeated a for a second screenful with a new set of commands, finally ending in the code which store the new number of bytes free, and then likely jumping into their main routine which waits for a call. Not unrelated is why the deleted lines were 0, then in the 32000+ range. Line 0 would have been a jump to 32000, which is where most of the initialization could would have been located. Why? Because the way the interpreter worked, the initial lines of code in Atari BASIC ran the fastest, and the last lines of code ran the slowest. (The more lines of code that you had, the more true this was.) Someone else will probably chime in with the details, but if memory serves me, Atari BASIC would do a linear search for a line number. The first lines ran faster because it literally could find them faster. So the low numbered lines are where you'd find the simple input/output and string handling routines in BBS software. This is some of the trivia that you learn but never forget after modifying a number of different pieces of BBS software (and then taking those lessons and coding your own). I'm going to enjoy looking at the software. Thanks for the disks! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimeLord000 Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 I know this is an (even older now) old thread, but found it fascinating. I was/am friends with Pab and contributed and/or tested code way back when this was developed. Some nice memories of good, friendly people in our area back in the 80s/90s. He asked me a short time ago to see if I had any media left from those days. Sadly, I could not find anything. Most of my Atari life was lost between high school and college. I reached out to him today to let him know this thread is here. I know he's active on the forum from time to time, so he might be aware. @TangentAudio: your work here and on your wifi project is fascinating and makes me want to pull the old 800XL out and start tinkering again. The wife thanks you. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pab Posted August 18, 2022 Share Posted August 18, 2022 Hello, all. Zombie thread alert. Going through boxes that I still hadn't unpacked from my move five years ago, I found my big box of 5-1/4" Atari disks, including several from my old Pab's Place BBS. I don't know what shape they're in after all these years, but I have a combo SIO2PC and 10502PC on its way in case I can't get my Incognito'd 800 working in time. I hope to find a release version of AtariLink 2.0, instead of the prototype that's on here. I know I had to be running my most recent version. As long as it's not on the backside of an XF551 disk (the 1050 I purchased turned out to have a Happy in it) I hope to not only pull out the final version of the software, but the archives of my old message bases and file areas. I will let people know. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pab Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 Update: I located my original master disk for the 2.0x release. The original disk came in the form of three ARC files: the program disk, the work disk, and the user's manual. The archives for the work disk and manual appear to be okay, but the program disk appears to have been corrupted. However, I also located the program disk I actually used with my BBS, which was the 2.0x release. So I'll be able to recreate the actual distribution disk. One explanation about the name: the "x" did NOT mean it was a prototype, nor an alpha or beta release. The first version of the program came in two "flavors:" 1.43A for Atari ("T:" device) modems and 1.43H for "Hayes" ("R:" device) modems. I merged both into 2.0 and used the "X" to signify it was for all modems. Once I have a chance to recreate the distribution disk I will upload an ATR. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tillek Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 9 hours ago, Pab said: Update: I located my original master disk for the 2.0x release. The original disk came in the form of three ARC files: the program disk, the work disk, and the user's manual. The archives for the work disk and manual appear to be okay, but the program disk appears to have been corrupted. However, I also located the program disk I actually used with my BBS, which was the 2.0x release. So I'll be able to recreate the actual distribution disk. One explanation about the name: the "x" did NOT mean it was a prototype, nor an alpha or beta release. The first version of the program came in two "flavors:" 1.43A for Atari ("T:" device) modems and 1.43H for "Hayes" ("R:" device) modems. I merged both into 2.0 and used the "X" to signify it was for all modems. Once I have a chance to recreate the distribution disk I will upload an ATR. Great news... though if it had been on the back side of the XF disk... well... I got one of those too. (Well, 4 actually). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pab Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 A lot of my disks were XF. They will go back in the closet until I can find an XF I can afford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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