🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <613@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu>, engst@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Adam C. Engst) writes:
> 
> Well, here it is.  A README file from the Sac (Ver. 3.0, I guess).  This
> list is pretty good, but does anyone know of other software that either
> works or doesn't work?  I'd like to keep compiling a list so that anyone who
> wishes to buy a Sac knows what will and what will not run.  Also, didn't
> someone say something about Ver. 4.0 working with a color monitor?
> 
> Hope this helps someone (other than me).

Well, cuz it wuz so cheap, and I needed a clock anyways, I bought
a Magic Sac.  The store where I bought it also included a beta
test version, v. 3.5.  This is halfway to version 4.

Comments of ver. 3.5:

Yes, colour monitors are supported.  This is only possible with a
1 Meg. machine, cuz an invisble b/w macintosh screen is hidden
somewhere in memory, and a background routine copies to the colour
screen periodically.  If the ST copied every screen, there wouldn't
be any CPU time left for processing, so only every fifth (approx)
screen is copied.  This gives the mouse, and I assume any other
moving objects a real jerky appearance.  This whole kludge (yes, it
is definately a kludge, but then, kludges of this magnitude 
impress the hell out of me) will consume about 20% of your 
processing power... in other words, slow the ST down to the speed
of a conventional MAC.  ( Boy, do I feel superior now...)

The colour is not really high enough res. to be legible.  With some
struggling, it is possible to read anything, but when I played with
it, I always used the large fonts in MacWrite.

Promises for Ver. 4.0:

EPSON printer support!!!!  David Small has promised to get this 
working or die trying!!  This is the one thing that will make this
purchase worthwhile.  Most of the programs I have used do in fact
run pretty well, but until I can print something out, Magic Sac is
just a toy.  An Epson FX-80 driver is promised.


I haven't had the program long enough to do any real testing, but it
certainly does enough to please me.  It is fun to see which programs
are well enough written to instinctively use the full atari screen.
Although the claims are that programs load as fast, this has not
been the case.  In general, the boot process takes a lot longer on
the ST.  However, it does run most progs faster...

Warren

-- 
=-=-=-=-=-Warren Long at University of Saskatchewan, Canada-=-=-=-=-
Home: 78 Carleton Dr.,Saskatoon, Sasakatchewan, S7H 3N6
Phone: (306)-955-1237
=-=-=-=-=-U-Email: ...!ihnp4!alberta!sask!long     -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-