Tone Byte

News and Views

BIT ONE: More Power Tools for your Amiga.

There is an addition to the Power line of utilities for adding capability and user-friendliness to your Amiga. This one is called PowerWB. It adds two new gadgets to your Workbench windows. One gadget is to switch between list and icon views while the other is to switch between showing all files and showing only icons. These added gadgets put these menu items right in the window you are interested in, cutting down on mouse mileage.

The leftmost gadget of this Workbench window added by PowerWB switches the view in the window from icons to a file list. The next gadget switches between "show all files" and "show only icons." The center gadget was added by Power Windows and the two rightmost gadgets are the standard Workbench 2.x + gadgets. Contributed by: Anthony Becker

BIT TWO: Cloanto to release Amiga Future.

Cloanto has licensed AmigaOS 1.0 through 3.0 for inclusion with a new version of the ultimate Amiga emulator for the Gates Crate, UAE and a MS-DOS Amiga emulator called Fellows. Up until now users of UAE were limited in their legal ability of obtaining the all-important Kickstart and Workbench image files needed to make their emulation work. As we all know the only legal way of getting these is to own them either from an Amiga or ordered used. Now you will be only a double-click from running your favorite OS whenever you get tired of Microsoft. The CD-ROM package will even include a "Powered by Amiga" sticker to place on your GC and some software in ADF (Amiga Disk File) format. This is since Amiga floppies can only be read on Amigas. The only way to transfer software to make your Amiga emulator useful is to convert the whole disk into a file and copy it to the GC. The emulators are then told to use these ADF's as the floppy drives. Anyone with an Amiga can make their own ADF's with utilities found on Aminet. Contributed by: Anthony Becker, Executive Editor

BIT THREE: New Sadeness releases:

Sadeness releases the latest installment, AGA Experience 3. These CD-ROM titles are compilations of pictures, animations, demos, games, and programs made specifically for Amigas sporting the AGA chipset. While much of what is on this CD is on Aminet, let's face it, considering both the download time and the hard drive space you must invest, these CD's are a bargain. Sadeness has even gone through the trouble of placing these displays of AGA's power only a double-click away. Once inserted into your CD-ROM drive, you have immediate access to software such as Vulcan's Bograts and Burnout demos (and you thought I could go a month without mentioning Vulcan) and many other games, programs like Xcad2000, a multitude of images ranging from those shown at parties to AGA game screen shots, animations, and the required demos from many of the Amiga's best coders. This makes this CD a required purchase for anyone who wants to show off his or her 1200, 4000, or licensed Amiga.

At the same time as releasing AGA Experience 3, Sadeness has released Hidden Truths, a CD-ROM filled with evidence of strangeness in the universe in which we live. This compilation of Web sites placed locally can bring those interested in strange occurences from UFO's to ball lightning up to date. Sadeness has included all you need to navigate these web sites seamlessly. They have grouped them together in categories with a web page front end and included demo versions of web browsers for not only the Amiga but also from the Macintosh and GC. This makes this package truly cross-platform. Interested in ghosts, the Loch Ness Monster, or Bigfoot? You can find them all and more on this CD, including music from the Canadian rock band 'Sci-Fi Prodigy.'

Sadeness Software

13 Russdel Terrace Mundesley Norfolk NR11 8LJ England /UK Contributed by: Anthony Becker, Executive Editor

BIT FOUR: Why is everybody always picking on me?

While Microsoft king Bill Gates never said that, in all of the statements from his company you can almost hear it. Microsoft has long been cementing control over the personal computer, not to mention servers and office suites. Microsoft seemed like the Untouchables. Every now and then the United States Federal Government would investigate MS for some antitrust violations only to walk away frustrated by another merry-go-round ride with the MS lawyer team. All this for things we all know to be true, but no one can prove. We know that MS leverages its OS monopoly to move its other products. We all know MS uses its inside knowledge from its OS development to advance its products over its competitors. We sit frustrated, however, as again and again no proof is found. So what is different this time? What has caused everyone to suddenly shift their eyes to Microsoft for doing just what they have been doing all this time? With Sun attacking MS's implementation of JAVA in Internet Explorer 4, the US Federal Government, the State of Texas, and Europe all investigating MS leveraging their monopoly in Windows 95 to push their browser into dominance, Internet Explorer. Can it be that Microsoft has gotten so worried that JAVA and the Internet would erode their OS market that they got sloppy? Just another reason I'm glad I use an Amiga. Contributed by: Anthony Becker, Executive Editor

BIT FIVE: DOpus Distribution changes

Editor's Note: The following arrived via a mailing list, and has been reproduced here by permission of the author.

Happy Thanksgiving!

You are receiving this because you are entered into our mailing list, probably via our web page or through placing an order with us.

If you would like to be removed from future mailings, please don't hesitate to have us remove your name.

Now, for the news about Directory Opus. As most of you know, the Magellan version of Opus is now out. However, Micro R.&D., is no longer distributing the software. You can order Opus by contacting Software Hut. They have taken over the US distribution of our software products.

I do want to thank you for your support, and I want to let you know that we still manufacture the Bigfoot line of power supplies for the Amiga.

Also, just in time for the Holidays, we have a great special on an 80-CD holder. If you haven't seen the CD3 holder, I must say it is the neatest CD holder I have ever seen. Normally we sell these for $29.95, but as a way of saying thanks for your support over the years we are offering them at $24.95.

We guarantee that you will love this little gizmo, or your money back, including the $5 UPS fee. Give us a call at (888) 745-1243. Hope you have a great holiday season.

Sincerely,
George Graham
Micro R.&D., Inc.

Note: Interested people should respond via e-mail to ggraham@micrord.com.

Contributed by: Paul Somerfeldt