Marius

That is so cool. Which brings me to the question: are these articles somewhere archived? I would love to walk along memory lane and read this kind of things. I also love to see old advertisements in magazines. It is always so cool to see our so beloved atari 8bit equipment listed in a magazine. Fun detail (sorry this is completely offtopic by the way) is that I always loved the look of a 65XE in those advertisements. I remember seeing my own 800XL, a 65XE and 130XE in those ads, and I always though: oh wow look that beauty of the 65XE (and I still think 65XE is the best label... more beautiful than 130XE). And when I hook up my 65XE I am still thinking just like that. I love it. It is awesome. Some people say that every 7 year your taste appears to change... well not with this

Yes I was already afraid so. But it is a wonderful and powerfool tool though... don't you agree?

There is also a program called hardback or something like that. I am not sure whether it will run outside the user interface, but has a few very cool features (like only backing up files with a newer date).

Yes I did. And I got weird glitches in the screen handling, and now it does not even want to show anything on the screen at all. I did stick to the OS version "Mac OS Monterey" (12.7.3) because I did not want to lose compatibility with applications that are important for my daily work. It's a pity that it is slightly glitchy. I love the emulator. I will try to remove the app entirely and re-install it. Sometimes it is difficult to re-install an app, because things are left behind when you drag an app to the trash. In the past I used an app called APP ZAPPER on Mac OS (I remember I used it already when I was on Mac OS X Tiger (10.4.x) Let's see whether that app still exists for this version of Mac OS

On my Mac Studio M1 Max, I have all kind of issues anyway with this emulator. I wished there were more updates. I have been a very happy and satisfied user of Atari800Mac, but since I moved to this computer, it is all kind of trouble. And yes, the crashes with editing certain types of ATR files, happen here too... but I believe they did that before as well. I always edit small ATR files, and then on the real hardware I move everything to the 16MB SpartaDos partitions.

It is my personal experience. Although The Netherlands is really small, even our country can be divided in zones where Atari was popular and zones where nobody had an atari. And of course I lived in a zone where nobody had an atari. I have never heard of Atari's in school. We had a C64 in our primary school. Most of the things that you mention by the way, are not the things I am referring to. The question was what Atari could have done differently. Aackosoft and the Dutch government aren't Atari, right? In the Netherlands it seemed that everybody knew the 2600, but hardly anybody knew about the 8bit line. The ST was popular among musicians. In Germany The Atari 8bit was much more popular. Of course, there was an Atari 8bit scene in The Netherlands as well. I think of the Pokey Foundation, The Mega Magazine, the SAG (Stichting Atari Gebruikers -> The foundation of Atari Users), Atari Info (with Kees Beekhuis)... and there were also quite some Atari books released in Dutch language. It is all true. And now you mention it, I really wonder whether I am so wrong in my memories about this. But from what I remember, there was not much marketing from Atari in my country. The only reason I had an Atari 800XL was because we actually did win one. If I hadn't won it, I would probably not even typing this message. That was for me where it all started, and for me my Atari 8bit computer was amazing... a life changing "tool" / "toy" ... whatever I should call it. I think, going back to the question from the topic starter... I still think that Atari could have done more in The Netherlands, especially in the marketing. But I am absolutely determined to dive into this matter. And I want to thank you for your reply, it really made me think. So to be continued! Oh and we had of course the amazing High Tech Team, and Steve Zipp, and later a very active Atari 8bit BBS Network/Scene... and we had STACK BBS From Bo and Ernest Schreurs (who released the Pooldisk and Pooldisk Too)... and there was quite some activity around the Atari ST as well... so sure, The Netherlands was absolutely not an Atari-less country. That was also not what I meant with my initial reply. But... as written above... where I lived... it was nearly only C64, ZX Spectrum, MSX....

Nice question. I must say: I have been an atari fan for ages, and I think I will ever stay a big fan as well. I have enjoyed so many Atari stuff, that I find it difficult to come up with something. I had (and still have) 2600 and a lot of 8bit stuff, amazing. And I have been using Atari ST for quite some time as well. Really cool stuff. The thing Atari could have done (should have done?) differently in at least my country was their PR/Advertorial/Marketing strategies. They did not really do their very best (or at least they did not spend a lot of money?)... Many people in my country bought either a Commodore 64 or an ZX Spectrum, and even the Apple ][ and the MSX computers were rather popular back in the day. I had the Atari 800xl and virtually nobody around me had that machine as well. But still... I loved it. A wonderful machine and I really hated it that all my friends back in the day exchanged games for their C64's and only had my sources from type in magazines and budget games on tape (although those were really amazing). So that is -for me- the only thing. Well... and perhaps they shouldn't have made the XF551 so weak and cheap. But that is a minor thing.

I was thinking about Thrust as well, and I might be the only one in the universe, but I even love the game with keyboard controls. It can be quite a frustrating (as in challenging) game. I haven't played it for a while. Thanks for the reminder. I really liked it back then, so let me dig it up.

Oh and Solar Fox... that is a really nice 2600 title as well that could use a port. But did I already mention KLAX?

Yes! KLAX is for me one of the reasons that I still have a 2600 that I connect on a regular base. KLAX is really an awesome game, and still in 2024 it is absolutely thrilling to play. In the list of non-ported games that deserve a port, I would most definitely want to add Private Eye. For the people who do not know how to play, it would probably feel like a boring game. But if you know how the game is played, it is really fun. Klax, Private Eye.... but Road Runner is pretty cool as well. I actually love the game. There are also games that actually are ported, but the original 2600 games plays better. I love both Pac-Man Jr. on 2600 en A8 (the 5200 version) but the game play on the 2600 is so much better. It looks not so beautiful, but the game is so fast and that brings so much joy. But yes... KLAX it is. A port of KLAX.... who might be able to create that?

This is -of course- 100% true. I have lots of respect for the people who create this stuff for PC/Mac or whatever other platform. Everything that is convenient for people to write a8 software is more than welcome. But to answer your question: I never use these tools, because when it comes to the atari 8bit hobby, I love using the atari 8bit. The only thing I use every now and then is an emulator. I prefer doing all a8 related things on the real thing. For me it is all about the experience, and having a great time. Reaching goals is less important here for me. So I code in Mac/65, Synassembler or Turbo Basic, I write my txt's in the Last Word, I design my fonts and gfx with different tools, I pack my objects with SuperPacker, I compose and arrange music with the Chaos Music Composer. I debug using Turbo Freezer or Black Box. Sure it is not as convenient as on a modern PC, and my coding skills are also rather limited... but it is so much more fun: due to this, when I am active with my a8 hobby, at least I won't have to sit behind the pc or mac AGAIN. I would most certainly appreciate newer and better tools for a8. But I completely understand that the audience filled with people like me is smaller than the game audience. I love the Midi interface that I bought from Pancio. I would love to see more tools/programs for that hardware for instance. And of course I would LOVE to see a RMT-compatible editor on a8, so that I could start using RMT on the "real thing"... Please do understand me right. I have NOTHING against those cross-platform tools. In fact, I am grateful for their existance. Thanks to these tools, I can use native a8 tools that other people created on a cross-assembler or whatever. I know that quality software on a8 wouldn't have been developed without these powerful tools. So yes, I am very happy that they exist. But that these tools simply made the development of native a8 tools, unneeded; no.... definitely not.

Hi David, What a tragedy/edventure! It is so good to read that you are back, and I hope the time will help you to get stronger and feeling better. Let the atari hobby help you with that. I recently (after quite some time of absence) I fired on the 800xl and everything involved, and I must say: just as always it gives me a lot of happiness. It is like coming home. I mainly use my atari 8bit for distraction free writing (I get distracted pretty easily on modern computers). And now I found my 800xl again, and I am SO happy to use it again. Hopefully you have the same fun again, and I am sure that it will help with your recovery. Long story short: nice to see you again, and I wish you all the best. Greetings from The Netherlands. p.s. someone already wrote it, but ask Albert to merge your accounts. He did that with my accounts too some time ago.

@mytek The problems I did run into years ago went in some cases indeed away thanks to the shield. But not because of the shielding-function but simply because the shield added a huge load of mass which (indirectly) helped just enough for having no problems. That is my theory, perhaps it is BS. Those were the times where things were extremely critical. I also remember that having a non working CF card in my Myide 1 interface, that suddenly perfectly worked when I used a CF card to IDE adapter with 2 slots where the second CF slot was used by another CF card. So with the problematic CF card in slot 1 and no CF card in slot 2, the problematic CF card failed. But with another CF card in slot 2 suddenly the problematic CF card worked fine. Another of those "magical" solutions was putting the shield back. People with knowledge stated that these solutions are simply coincidental (or just luck). I am not an expert based on knowledge, but I have a lot of experience with virtually countless Atari setups and weird solutions. I have seen enough of these magical and funny solutions working, but I indeed can not explain them. My best hypothesis is that some PSU's are not always very clean or stable and that somehow this might disturb in some situations the operation because of the PSU and its "signal" currently being slightly out of spec. Adding mass might help a slightly out of spec PSU just enough to let the disturbed process work again without issue. It is nothing more than just my hypothesis.

It is all dependable of what you would like to achieve and how skilled you are in all kind of fields, and of course all as a matter of taste as well. When I look at myself, for instance, I really love a stock Atari 800XL with all kind of bells and whistles connected on external ports. I love my Turbo Freezer 2011 with XE compatible Memory and I love my IDE+ 2.0 harddisk interface, but also my MyIDE ][ and my very nice external Midi Interface. All connected to my (nearly) stock 800XL. The only modification I made is that the Parallel Bus Interface has a +5V on one of the pins, so that external expansions/add-ons do not need a PSU (through a wire to the joystick or cart port). I also love to code on the 800XL, but I never use any cross-platform-tools. I use Synassembler or Mac/65 on a cart and I have all kind of tools that make coding on the real thing more convenient. It is so much more fun to do everything on the 800XL... although I completely agree that for convenience (and even for more possibilities) coding on a PC/Mac on a cross-assembler would be a much better idea. Anyway, I can only say: enjoy this journey. It is awesome. If you would like to write a new OS, you definitely should talk to @mr-atari ... he wrote the fabulous MyIDE OS, and has lots of experience in that field. There are some more interesting/cool OS variants. Some you really will like is the QMEG OS. If you do not want to upgrade your Atari with an extra OS or with Ultimate 1MB ... you might want to check SysCheck II. It is an external add on that also can carry a different OS rom for the Atari. Very nice. Greetings and good luck Marius

Hi! Yes I know. It is so sad. But when i wrote this, I believe this tragic event did not happen yet. I am wondering whether he published his sources and other related tools somewhere. The guy leaves us a very valuable heritage. I really liked him. Years ago we pioneered the technique with Lantronix device servers. It was a pleasure to work with him on this hobby.

This happens. My favorite devices are MyIDE2 and IDE+ 2.0 on Atari 8bit. And I also focus some more on Sio based solutions. Not fast, not versatile, but less sensitive to stability issues. Atari 8bit is lots of fun, and sometimes a device is not turning into our most favorite device. Some people can't stand the MyIDE 2, and I still love it. It is sometimes a very personal choice. If SIDE3 is not good for your blood pressure, leave it alone. I can live very well without it as well, although I must say that the features on paper are really amazing, mainly thanks to the superb firmware written by @flashjazzcat. But hey... focus on your atari 8bit, it is a wonderful machine... and perhaps in the future you might enjoy SIDE3.

Speaking of this... I was always slightly jealous of my Apple //c computer. It has a built-in 5.25" diskdrive, and if I am informed correctly this Drive is using PARALLEL I/O instead of SERIAL. That makes it lightning fast. Copying a 5.25" floppy with LockSmith fastcopy is a matter of a few seconds (seriously, the only thing that takes some time is formatting). Even the fastest upgrade on a 1050 is still a slow snail compared to that Apple //c floppy drive. Oh and do you mean floppy disks with software, or empty ones... that seem not to be available? Here in the Netherlands it is indeed also quite a challenge to find these disks. But still... every now and then on a local market site I see them offered (sometimes even new and sealed) and then I always do a bid. It is nice to have some spares here. Nothing beats the real thing.

Years and years ago... when I was still a very young person, around 13 years old, I got my very first 1050 diskdrive. A stock one. A world opened. But back in that time it was also rather common to have DOS 2.0s on floppy disks. So, without knowing anything yet, I started using DOS 2.0s and 2.5 mixed. And of course I found out (Without knowing anything about formats or sectors) that DOS 2.5 gave me these 999+ free sectors, and DOS 2.0s only 707 free sectors. So the choice was made pretty easily: I would format my disks with DOS 2.5. I already emphasized that I did not know a thing about this, so pretty soon the frustrations started to occur. What is wrong with this diskdrive? What is wrong with these floppy disks? I couldn't access sometimes these files and sometimes they were even invisible. It drove me rather crazy. Until I found out about this difference and the feature. You are actually running in the same thing, although not as 'severe' as I did. You were still able to read the files, and they appeared to you. But the problem lies in the same reason. To be honest, once I found out, I did not like the ED format that much anymore. Rather incompatible in the entire eco-system of formats. Later I started using it again, with the GAME DOS, which name I forgot... there was a special 'medium' formatter available to have 1000 sectors available for games. If I remember correctly it was called SpeedStart INIT+ by Reuss. But I can be mistaken, of course. Then it was pretty cool to have 1000 sectors available on a stock 1050. Today I try to stick with SD or DD. It makes way more sense. Both the same amount of sectors, but simply 128 or 256 bytes / sector. But still... even then I run into problems when I have only a stock 1050 available. I am probably one of the minority of people who still likes a stock 1050. (Although my main 1050 is upgraded with the Mini Speedy).

Me too. I am very happy with these devices. And I do not see myself change to anything else soon. But... I have some very fond nostalgia memories of the blackbox (not all positive, but some of the memories are the best) so I was wondering whether I should go back to blackbox or not...

Hi! Although the fat32 loader is rather powerful, the ATR loader is very limited. If I was you, I would study they image handler in the manual. I am not sure whether Ultima is compatible with the Soft OS, but the image handler in MyBios works rather well. Do you have another device that will let you read ATR files? You might need it to transfer images to your MyIDE card (although there was software in the past to manage the images on flash card)

Does the 800XL have a ROM installed with MyBIOS 4.9 or are you using the MyIDE Cartridge with the so called 'soft'-OS version of MyBIOS? So if you start the image loader and you see the list of all the images you have 1. Ultima IV Disk 1, 2. Ultima IV Disk 2. etc? As far as I can remember, the swapping of images was like this: 1. You boot Disk 1 if you want Disk 2 you type on your computer SHIFT + CONTROL + 2 to enable Disk 2, Shift + CONTROL + 3 to enable Disk 3 etc. (And if you need Disk 1 again SHIFT + CONTROL + 1) But I am doing this now without checking the Atari so I can not test whether I am right. I also was using an older version of MyBIOS. Important is whether you are using the ROM version of MyBIOS or not. I am not sure whether Ultima is compatible with the SOFT OS. And last but not least: Are you running the ATR from Fat32 with the Fat32 loader? Then it is a whole different story, and I am not even sure whether that is possible at all. I was talking about having the Ultima disks in the MyIDE Image system. I might not use the right words. It has been quite a while ago since I was active with MyIDE, and with Atari 8bit in general. So could and would you please provide some more information. (Best with screenshots or pictures) What you are trying to do.

Well, I must say, that I do not want to go back to the tragedies of losing a Ramdisk content (and the system keeps running, and the system thinks the ramdisk is reliable, so overlay files from the BBS system were saved and loaded from that Ramdisk, which eventually made the whole BBS crash... including partitions). Or the moments where a partition was completely killed due to some odd behavior. No... I must honestly say... I do not want bring that back. So I think I will keep the good memories, and for now I will stick with slightly less problematic hardware.

This what you write... does this also apply to CSS's The Black Box!? I recognize some of the problems you describe I had with a quarter meg 800XL. As long as I used it with Sio only devices, the 256KB was really stable. But connecting the Black Box to this 800XL made it very 'flaky' ... (you could ask @Fox-1 / mnx about his experiences back in the day haha. I am rather sure he has the same memories

This is really cool. I must say, with all the hyper modern solutions, even this hardware feels like nostalgia/retro. I have a blackbox (somehow comparable with the MIO) and I keep thinking that I should revive using the Blackbox again. It was always a very pleasant device and although it would also mean a goodbye to the amazing APT partition system, it would bring so much good memories back. So it is really awesome to see the MIO reproduced this way. I hope there will be more projects like this. And perhaps even a revival of the blackbox...

Is using Chaos Music Composer allowed? That is the only composer on Atari 8bit that I can use (a bit). I won't win, that is not a problem. Chaos Music Composer is simply too limited to make something that will help me win. But joining the contest might be a good motivation for me to start writing music again for a8.