Alternatives to GEM on the 1040st

[Gunstar]

Gem is alright I suppose, but even my 8-bit 130xe can do wallpaper graphics and screensavers with the wonderful ATOS available for it...(if you have a hardrive or A.P.E-I have the latter) I downloaded Terradesk, which seems a bit better, but still not what I'm looking for. Besides, it needs a HD to operate correctly, all I have is the internal 720k drive and 1meg ram. I remember a very cool looking desktop called Neodesk or something like that from an ad in Atari Interface Magazine I have from about ten years ago, it seems to be able to use wallpaper and screen savers and multi-colored icons and stuff. Is there anywhere I can download a copy of this? Does anyone have a copy for sale? Also, does it require a HD? What other desktop options are there that have some or all of these added features that doesn't need a hard drive? I'm also looking for a copy of the Spectrum512 art program...and cool desktop accessories, any good sites to download any? I know that a lot of this type of stuff was released on disks from magazines, any of these mags&disks available on the net like with the 8-bit computers (like Antic online, etc.)?

[Goochman]

Neodesk was the best desktop for the original series TOS machines - 3.0 was great though a HD was recommended to use it.

[Gunstar]

Do you know where I can get a copy? Recommended doesn't mean required, and I'll eventually get a HD...

[Goochman]

Neodesk 3 I think required a HD - earlier versions didnt but 3.0 had so much in it I dont believe you could do it from a diskette

 

I have 3.0 somewhere but I think it required a key to activate which Im sure I've lost

[Gunstar]

Well, I don't mind purchasing it if it's available on a commercial basis from one of the Atari dealers...I just wasn't sure if it was shareware or something that may be tuffer to find these days if it's not on an ftp site (I haven't seen it anywhere). I'll be getting a HD soon, so I'm not worried about tht requirement, but it would be nice to get the 1-2.x version that may not require one in the meantime. Gem is just so primitive now that I want something better, maybe with more color. Even my 8-bit desktop blows it away (although it does require a HD/APE)

 

If anyone knows where I can get 1.x or 2.x neodesk, preferably download, but what ever, I'd appreciate it. Or, some other desktop (besides terradesk) that is more advanced than GEM, yet requires no HD, it'd be very much appreciated...

[AtariDude]

I used to have Neodesk on my ST. I think the company that used to make it was called Gribnif software. I don't think they are around anymore though. Hopefully there might be an Atari dealder that still sells it.

 

Good luck!

[AtariDude]

I found them. I think they are still alive.

 

Here is the webpage that I found.

 

http://www4.pair.com/gribnif/

 

I only checked it superficiously so check it out in detail when you look at it.

[Goochman]

Gunstart - Looks like they're still selling their Neodesk product so I would HIGHLY recommend you support these guys and buy it from them since they put out a great product and helped the ST community alot during the old TOS days - Its up to version 4 now.

[Gunstar]

Gunstart - Looks like they're still selling their Neodesk product so I would HIGHLY recommend you support these guys and buy it from them since they put out a great product and helped the ST community alot during the old TOS days - Its up to version 4 now.

 

I would love to support them and buy neodesk 4 from them, but is it compatible with my old 1040st? Or just the newer machines? It doesn't say anything about syystem requirements on the site AT ALL. Nor does it say if any of their older version are available still...I'll e-mail them, but I found that obsurd that they didn't give requirements or anything about older versions, only stuff on new enhancements.

[Goochman]

I bet it works on any version of TOS above 1.0 - Anyhow, you could prob get 3 from them also which does work with 1.2 which I used with my Mega ST2.

[Falcon603e]

You *could* run Neodesk 3 on a floppy only machine, I used to do so, but I had two floppy drives at the time.

 

TOS 2.06 is a viable options - I think Atari actually based it's functionality on Neodesk! It has a slightly higher RAM footprint than TOS 1.xx (256K cf 192K) but doesn't occupy extra RAM like NeoD does, and it doesn't need to load from disk. There are some compatibility problems tho so it's better to get a switchable upgrade so you can go back temporarily.

That's what I call a dual boot system! Hehe..

[Gunstar]

Thanks for the input guys, I'll definately check out all these options, in the mean time I have decided to stick with gem and am searching for accessory and module upgrades to it. I have already found a few, and know where there are a lot more, if I can find them...that is, I have old additions of magazines like Start and Atari Interface which had disks with the magazines that seem to have a ton of gem enhancements, and can probably find the features I'm looking for on these add-ons if I can get a hold of the files that were originally put on these disks from magazines. Anyone know if any of these have been put online yet? Like the old Antic or Page 6 magazines that have been archived already?

 

Another upgrade option I've come accross is called "DCdesktop" which was a commercially released GEM enhancement. Anyone know where I can get it at?

[Hulsie]

Codehead's "HotWire" was a great alternative OS. A HD was recommended, but not required. NeoDesk is also cool, but I have an earlier version.

 

Anybody else use "HotWire" ?