Hornpipe2 Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 Backing up all my old 8-bit software from back in the day and I run across this BELLCOM Public Domain Software Catalog disk. Looks like it's the BELLCOM catalog on-disk - you can load up the different text files and browse through them to see the software available for order. Everything sector-copied OK through SIO2PC. I can use my scanner to get an image of the disk if anyone's interested. BELLCOM.zip 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 I [ran] across this BELLCOM Public Domain Software Catalog disk. Looks like it's the BELLCOM catalog on-disk I'm aware that this post is from 2008 and it's now March of 2014. It's usually poor etiquette to respond to such an old post. However, I'm making an exception here as this post deserves some attention. I'm not sure how it managed to slip through the cracks. I'm not sure if the original person that made this post is even going to see that I responded to his posting after six years, but if he does, then I just want to thank you, "Hornpipe2," for archiving both sides of your BELLCOM disk. It's been fun to look through. This Catalogue contains descriptions for 110 disks: "DISK 001 - STARTREK CLASSICS" to "DISK 110 - Home Utilities." I booted this 1986 BELLCOM "Catalogue On-Disk" without trouble using the Altirra 2.3 emulator as an NTSC Atari 130XE. I loaded the menu from BASIC (it's called "MENU"). You get greeted by some a nice-quality introduction screen: After the intro, you are greeted with a copyright screen. I'm grateful for that; otherwise I would not have known this disk was from 1986: Finally, you are greeted by the actual menu. The "Introduction" says this about a print-out of the entire catalogue: Should you prefer a hard copy of this Catalogue On-Disk for your reference, you can access your printer from the menu. The chart below indicates the computer paper you would need. As you can see, its a LaRgE Catalogue... INTRODUCTION = 05 SHEETS GAMES I = 15 SHEETS GAMES II = 10 SHEETS GAMES III = 09 SHEETS UTILITIES I = 11 SHEETS UTILITIES II = 08 SHEETS GRAPHICS I = 15 SHEETS GRAPHICS II = 16 SHEETS MUSIC/SOUND = 07 SHEETS EDUCATIONAL = 08 SHEETS TELE-COMM = 09 SHEETS HOME/BUSINESS = 07 SHEETS ORDER FORM = 01 SHEETS __________ 121 SHEETS ========== Can you imagine printing all 121 pages back in 1986 on a dot-matrix printer using fan-fold paper?! The menu allows you load the various parts of the catalogue one at a time and either display them or print them. Here's an example of the first part of the "Introduction" displayed on the screen: I "printed" two items from the menu and saved them as files as examples of what is on the disk. These two text files are of menu choice A: "Introduction" and menu choice B: "Games I." Note that since there were reverse characters used in the Atari text file, those characters "printed" as question marks. I went through the text files and replaced them with plain capital letters. The text no longer stands out as it would have originally looked if printed on an Atari printer, but it's better than seeing "???? ???" instead of the reversed text of "DISK 001." Option A - Introduction: BELLCOM PD Software Catalogue (1986)(Option A - Introduction).zip Option B - Games I: BELLCOM PD Software Catalogue (1986)(Option B - Games I).zip I have three questions concerning BELLCOM: Does anyone know the history of BELLCOM? When was the last catalog (disk or paper) made? Have all the BELLCOM disks been archived anyplace? Again, thanks for archiving the disk! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powersoft Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 THANKS for moving this up! I am into such things and quite happy to have it. Yes, any archieve would be awesome. Anyone here got my catalouge discs "Powersoft Info-Disk" archieved? Cheers Markus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+davidcalgary29 Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 I'm aware that this post is from 2008 and it's now March of 2014. It's usually poor etiquette to respond to such an old post. However, I'm making an exception here as this post deserves some attention. I'm not sure how it managed to slip through the cracks. I'm not sure if the original person that made this post is even going to see that I responded to his posting after six years, but if he does, then I just want to thank you, "Hornpipe2," for archiving both sides of your BELLCOM disk. It's been fun to look through. This Catalogue contains descriptions for 110 disks: "DISK 001 - STARTREK CLASSICS" to "DISK 110 - Home Utilities." I booted this 1986 BELLCOM "Catalogue On-Disk" without trouble using the Altirra 2.3 emulator as an NTSC Atari 130XE. I loaded the menu from BASIC (it's called "MENU"). You get greeted by some a nice-quality introduction screen: BELLCOM PD Software Catalogue (1986)(Title Screen - Disk 1 - Side A).jpg BELLCOM PD Software Catalogue (1986)(Title Screen - Disk 2 - Side A).jpg After the intro, you are greeted with a copyright screen. I'm grateful for that; otherwise I would not have known this disk was from 1986: BELLCOM PD Software Catalogue (1986)(Copyright Screen - Disk 1 - Side A).jpg Finally, you are greeted by the actual menu. BELLCOM PD Software Catalogue (1986)(Menu Screen - Disk 1 - Side A).jpg The "Introduction" says this about a print-out of the entire catalogue: Can you imagine printing all 121 pages back in 1986 on a dot-matrix printer using fan-fold paper?! The menu allows you load the various parts of the catalogue one at a time and either display them or print them. Here's an example of the first part of the "Introduction" displayed on the screen: BELLCOM PD Software Catalogue (1986)(Introduction Displayed - Disk 2 - Side A).jpg I "printed" two items from the menu and saved them as files as examples of what is on the disk. These two text files are of menu choice A: "Introduction" and menu choice B: "Games I." Note that since there were reverse characters used in the Atari text file, those characters "printed" as question marks. I went through the text files and replaced them with plain capital letters. The text no longer stands out as it would have originally looked if printed on an Atari printer, but it's better than seeing "???? ???" instead of the reversed text of "DISK 001." Option A - Introduction: BELLCOM PD Software Catalogue (1986)(Option A - Introduction).zip Option B - Games I: BELLCOM PD Software Catalogue (1986)(Option B - Games I).zip I have three questions concerning BELLCOM: Does anyone know the history of BELLCOM? When was the last catalog (disk or paper) made? Have all the BELLCOM disks been archived anyplace? Again, thanks for archiving the disk! There was a recent thread here about a unique cart that included a newsletter from GCACE in it. While looking through that newsletter, I noted that one of the user group's positions was 'Bellcom' editor (or something like that). It looks like GCACE inherited the Bellcom library, and you'd probably find out everything you needed if you could get a response from any former member (I haven't tried this myself). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Anyone here got my catalouge discs "Powersoft Info-Disk" archieved? This sounds like the "Powersoft Info-Disk" that you're looking for: http://www.umich.edu/~archive/atari/8bit/Unverified/Powersoft/powerso.txt You'll have to go "up" one directory in order to download the disks (in ARC format): http://www.umich.edu/~archive/atari/8bit/Unverified/Powersoft/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillC Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 There are almost 1000 BELLCOM PD ATRs on the Holmes CD #3, which is archived on the Pigwa FTP site. ftp://ftp.pigwa.net/stuff/collections/holmes%20cd/Holmes%203/BELLCOM/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 There are over 1000 BELLCOM PD ATRs on the Holmes CD #3, which is archived on the Pigwa FTP site. ftp://ftp.pigwa.net/stuff/collections/holmes%20cd/Holmes%203/BELLCOM/index.html Thanks for the link! Over 1,000 disks! That's quite an amazing collection! I'd heard the BELLCOM PD library back in the early nineties. I never did get a catalog though-- I guess I should have! To be sure these 1,000+ disks are actually what was described on the 1986 disk catalogue, I loaded up disk one. It's exactly as described (right down to the sector size of each program!) Here's the menu of BELLCOM "Disk 001 - StarTrek Classics:" Here's what STARTREK.DOC looks like when loaded: Here's the Title/Loading Screen of STARTREK:BAS: Finally, here's the first screen that you'll see in STARTREK.BAS (I think this is called the "map"): I figured that there would be a listing of what's one each of these BELLCOM disks, just like on the BELLCOM disk catalogue from 1986 that was originally posted. However, the best that I could find was this listing (in the above linked-to directory): http://ftp.pigwa.net/stuff/collections/holmes%20cd/Holmes%203/BELLCOM/DISKS.TXT The listing is hit or miss, and it is nowhere near as detailed as the posted disk catalogue. That catalogue is quite detailed and gives a great idea of what to expect on each disk-- it's not just the name of programs as most of this disk listing seems to be. I also found a disk called INFODISK.ATR in the above linked-to directory. However, it's not a catalogue at all. Instead it's a listing of helpful information that was made in January 1994. Here's BELLCOM InfoDisk's Title/Loading Screen (nice, right?): Here's an overview of the InfoDisk: Here's what's on the InfoDisk's menu that loads the text files: I was interested in what was in these text files, so I "printed" them all to files. I like that the menu now allows the files to be printed to an 80-column printer. Also, I didn't notice any non-ASCII characters (i.e. reverse characters), so the files look fine. Here's a link to a zip file I created that contains all the text files on the Atari ATR disk: Intro, Magazines, Dealers 1 and 2, Repairs and Game Tips. For good measure I also included the original disk too. I would have loved to have seen this disk in 1994 when it was first made: BELLCOM (January 1994)(InfoDisk).zip Does anyone have a link to a file or disk that contains a description of all 1,000+ disks in the BELLCOM collection that is just as detailed as the 1986 Disk Catalogue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bob1200xl Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 The PoolDisk has a file on it (along with all the BellCom disks). DISKS.TXT Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathy Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Hello guys The Pooldisk might have an error on it. One of the Pedrokko disks is the same on both sides. If it is, that might be my fault. Sincerely Mathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter_J64bit Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 (edited) WOW, I've never got my hands on BellCom's Disk Catalogue, I've allway's got the paper Catalogue (1992) it was the last one I got and I use now to help me with my Pooldisk's BellCom directory. :thumbsup: Edited March 29, 2014 by walter_J64bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 The PoolDisk has a file on it (along with all the BellCom disks). DISKS.TXT This is the same "DISKS.TXT" as was linked to above. It is full of holes. For example, just using disks 1-50 as an example, there are only eight disks that have descriptions in "DISKS.TXT:" 001.ATR Star Trek Classics 012.ATR Voyage Through Time 021.ATR Sci-Fi Trio 035.ATR Games of Space #1 036.ATR Games of War 040.ATR Arcade Fun #3 046.ATR C Compiler and Editor 048.ATR Printer [Epson]+ Is there a more complete version of "DISKS.TXT" available? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 The Pooldisk might have an error on it. One of the Pedrokko disks is the same on both sides. If it is, that might be my fault. Do you recall which disk it might be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 WOW, I've never got my hands on BellCom's Disk Catalogue, I've allway's got the paper Catalogue (1992) it was the last one I got and I use now to help me with my Pooldisk's BellCom directory. :thumbsup: This paper catalogue from 1992 sounds like about the same time I saw a paper catalogue from BELLCOM. Is this available online someplace? If not, could you scan it in at 300DPI in grayscale (unless it's color?!) and save it as TIFF, BMP or PNG? I could save it as a high-quality pdf and/or OCR the document. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathy Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Hello ballyalley It might have been #5, but I'm not sure. Sincerely Mathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Larry Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Some of the CD compilations have a several Bellcom Disks that others don't. I merged all that I have into one directory and come up with a total of 882 disk sides. Impressive quantity, and there are some nuggets of gold in there. But I've never seen a text listing that had all of them. Pool Disk Too is probably as complete as it gets. -Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roydea6 Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 https://www.dropbox.com/s/knl1n3s517d6zgr/Bellcom.zip This is my most recent Bellcom Library That I got from several sources and not sure of it accuracy or completeness. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 any chance of someone re-upping this one, please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roydea6 Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Bellcom files 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 thanks very much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted August 13, 2019 Share Posted August 13, 2019 Yesterday, Allan uploaded a great BELLCOM 32-page shareware catalog from 1989 to archive.org: https://archive.org/details/bellcompublicdomainsharewarecatalog It would be really cool to see a video of some of the software (games, of course!) from this catalog. Adam 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8guy Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 On 1/23/2016 at 8:39 AM, Roydea6 said: Bellcom files Any chance of doing this one more time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 2 hours ago, 8bitguy1 said: Any chance of doing this one more time? I figured that someone must have added the BELLCOM.ZIP file to archive.org. Alas, it's not there. I do have a file with the name; though I'm not sure if it's the same one as above. I made a listing of the contents of this 8MB zipped file. The contents of it are from way back in 1995. Here's the content listing in a text file: Bellcom-zip.txt Let me know if you want me to put the BELLCOM.ZIP file someplace. I'd rather not upload it if someone is sure that they have a newer version of the file. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roydea6 Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 On 1/23/2016 at 8:39 AM, Roydea6 said: Bellcom files https://www.dropbox.com/s/ztgj62on2s0gbx4/Bellcom.zip?dl=0 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8guy Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 Thanks a bunch!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 On 3/30/2014 at 5:55 AM, Larry said: Some of the CD compilations have a several Bellcom Disks that others don't. I merged all that I have into one directory and come up with a total of 882 disk sides. Impressive quantity, and there are some nuggets of gold in there. Over the last day, I have merged several BELLCOM disk archive sources (I think that each archive was all pointed out in this thread) and I now have 971 "different" disks. I say "different," as some disks are identical duplicates. These duplicates were already pointed out, not by name, by Mathy (who, I think, originally archived some of these disks) earlier in this thread on March 28, 2014: https://atariage.com/forums/topic/125131-bellcom-pd-catalog-disk/?do=findComment&comment=2958278 He said that when some of the original disks were dumped that some might have been dumped accidentally with the same name as a previously dumped disk. Interestingly, I also noticed that depending on when a disk was purchased from BELLCOM, a buyer might get a different version of the same program. I did notice that this is mentioned in the paper catalogs. As an example, I noticed that "Disk 60 - D-UTILITIES" has two versions of Les Wagarf's program called DISKUTIL. Both Rev. 07-07-92 and Rev. 11-07-93 are archived. I'm not sure if alternate versions of all of the disks have bene dumped. Today, I checked my BELLCOM disk collection for duplicates using Foldermatch v3.7.0, an old Windows program, by Salty Brine Software. The duplicate criteria that I used were "Sizes Match" and "Contents Match" (byte-for-byte). I was surprised by the results, as there are five identical disks. My personal disk images have been renamed by me. I added a descriptor to each file called "BELLCOM_Atari-Bit_Public_Domain_and_Shareware_Disk_" otherwise the names have not been changed. Here is the list of five identical disk images in my collection (and probably other BELLCOM collections across the Internet): 1) Identical disks of "D028" - Side B holds the docs of CAD-XE on both sides of the disk. I couldn't find this disk D28 listed in a paper catalog, so I'm not sure if CAD-XE is supposed to be on side A of the disk. BELLCOM_Atari-Bit_Public_Domain_and_Shareware_Disk_D028_A.ATR BELLCOM_Atari-Bit_Public_Domain_and_Shareware_Disk_D028_B.ATR 2) Identical Disk "448 - Hobby Tronic # 2" and "549 Hobby Tronic # 4" - Both disks are "Hobby Tronic Demo '89" I think that means that they're both disk 448. BELLCOM_Atari-Bit_Public_Domain_and_Shareware_Disk_448.ATR BELLCOM_Atari-Bit_Public_Domain_and_Shareware_Disk_549.ATR 3) Identical Action! disks. Disk "441 - Action! Utilities #6" and disk "442 - Action! Terminals." Both of these disks are disk #441. BELLCOM_Atari-Bit_Public_Domain_and_Shareware_Disk_441.ATR BELLCOM_Atari-Bit_Public_Domain_and_Shareware_Disk_442.ATR 4) Identical Disks - Disks "361 - Mastermatch 2.00" and "527 - Mastermatch" are both Mastermatch 2.00. This might be an error on the part of BELLCOM, or possibly it's a disk that was updated to a new version over the years, which caused to disks to be the same. BELLCOM_Atari-Bit_Public_Domain_and_Shareware_Disk_361.ATR BELLCOM_Atari-Bit_Public_Domain_and_Shareware_Disk_527.ATR 5) Identical Disks - The backs of disks D70 - Battle Trivia" and disk "D90 - DeTerm" are the same. They both contain the data files for "Battle Trivia." BELLCOM_Atari-Bit_Public_Domain_and_Shareware_Disk_D070_B.ATR BELLCOM_Atari-Bit_Public_Domain_and_Shareware_Disk_D090_B.ATR I'll try to upload my collection of 971 BELLCOM disks to archive.org so that others can look through this BELLCOM disk collection that I've sorted to the best of my ability. The collection is about 400MB, as it also includes pdfs of five paper BELLCOM catalogs. Perhaps someone can find another BELLCOM archive disk collection that will has the correct disks for those that were accidentally duplicated. Adam 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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