New web site - SIO2PC Hardware and more

[atari8warez]

We now offer options to get your SIO2PC Serial Interface built the exact way you want through our new web site.

Check it out here

We are still working on the site though, so some pages are not there yet. We will also add support forums to complement our in house support.

You can download SIO2PC software, get the latest version of our documentation, contact us, watch SIO2PC in action, and soon post your comments and questions about the hardware. We are also working on the details of an alternative software solution to the existing ones and we will keep you updated on the developments.

 

Thank you for your support and hope to see you there.

Ray

[wawasbdr]

Hmm...No real domain name, really bad site layout with text that overlaps in Firefox....I don't think so...

[philburnite]

We now offer options to get your SIO2PC Serial Interface built the exact way you want through our new web site.

Check it out here

We are still working on the site though, so some pages are not there yet. We will also add support forums to complement our in house support.

You can download SIO2PC software, get the latest version of our documentation, contact us, watch SIO2PC in action, and soon post your comments and questions about the hardware. We are also working on the details of an alternative software solution to the existing ones and we will keep you updated on the developments.

 

Thank you for your support and hope to see you there.

Ray

 

Ive been to that web site and its not bad , I actually built myself 3 sio2pc interfaces today and ones running on my 800xl right now Im playing arkonoid lol

[atari8warez]

Hmm...No real domain name, really bad site layout with text that overlaps in Firefox....I don't think so...

 

Thanks for the comments, but to be more constructive would you care to explain in more detail. I designed the site for IE7/IE6 not Firefox, but I will download it and see how it looks that way. Although I doubt I will put too much effort to make it fully Firefox compatible (at least not yet)

 

UPDATE: Wow!, Now seeing it in Firefox, I would say Firefox has major compatibility problems. Media Player does not work, some links don't work, fonts are a mess, pictures display erratically, what else.... No wonder Firefox is lightweight, installs in seconds but that's about the only + compared to IE.

Being a MS opponent is easy, just rant all day long, doing the real thing the right way is something completely different.

Edited October 11, 2007 by atari8warez

[Fletch]

I basically cannot even visit the site on a Mac. I'd love to check it out the site, but navigation is nearly impossible for the 6% of web users choosing Macs.

[atari8warez]

I basically cannot even visit the site on a Mac. I'd love to check it out the site, but navigation is nearly impossible for the 6% of web users choosing Macs.

 

I've made some changes for the Firefox. Looks better now. Still not fully compatible though. What kind of problems do you experience? Which browser are you using?

[+Allan]

I basically cannot even visit the site on a Mac. I'd love to check it out the site, but navigation is nearly impossible for the 6% of web users choosing Macs.

 

I've made some changes for the Firefox. Looks better now. Still not fully compatible though. What kind of problems do you experience? Which browser are you using?

 

It works OK on my Mac with Firefox. It did when you first posted about it here.

 

Allan

[atari8warez]

I basically cannot even visit the site on a Mac. I'd love to check it out the site, but navigation is nearly impossible for the 6% of web users choosing Macs.

 

I've made some changes for the Firefox. Looks better now. Still not fully compatible though. What kind of problems do you experience? Which browser are you using?

 

It works OK on my Mac with Firefox. It did when you first posted about it here.

 

Allan

 

Thanks for the feedback Allan. Still working on it. It's gonna take some time to iron-out all the quirks.

[Fletch]

I visited the site with Safari. I had just assumed that Firefox was not working from the other posters' experience. I will retry with Firefox.

[wawasbdr]

UPDATE: Wow!, Now seeing it in Firefox, I would say Firefox has major compatibility problems. Media Player does not work, some links don't work, fonts are a mess, pictures display erratically, what else.... No wonder Firefox is lightweight, installs in seconds but that's about the only + compared to IE.

Being a MS opponent is easy, just rant all day long, doing the real thing the right way is something completely different.

 

Firefox isn't the one with the issues here, your page is:

 

http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%...ine&group=0

 

Maybe you should try not using Microsoft Office to create a webpage, it spits out really junk code that I doubt even works with Microsoft's own browser correctly half the time. At least Frontpage spits out something that looks like HTML.

 

The fact is, this is the first website I've had this kind of issue with in Firefox in well over a year...Even though it looks better than it did before. BTW, the Windows Media Player option does work in FF, as long as you have the plugin. I fail to see the benefit of that video though. Anyone who will buy a cable from you, already knows what they do. Actually, playing the video in IE required me to accept the plugin being activated, which caused the page to reload and then I had to click the video to activate it due to the EOLAS patent issue with IE. In FF it loaded and played when the page came up with no intervention.

[atari8warez]

UPDATE: Wow!, Now seeing it in Firefox, I would say Firefox has major compatibility problems. Media Player does not work, some links don't work, fonts are a mess, pictures display erratically, what else.... No wonder Firefox is lightweight, installs in seconds but that's about the only + compared to IE.

Being a MS opponent is easy, just rant all day long, doing the real thing the right way is something completely different.

 

Firefox isn't the one with the issues here, your page is:

 

http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%...ine&group=0

 

Maybe you should try not using Microsoft Office to create a webpage, it spits out really junk code that I doubt even works with Microsoft's own browser correctly half the time. At least Frontpage spits out something that looks like HTML.

 

The fact is, this is the first website I've had this kind of issue with in Firefox in well over a year...Even though it looks better than it did before. BTW, the Windows Media Player option does work in FF, as long as you have the plugin. I fail to see the benefit of that video though. Anyone who will buy a cable from you, already knows what they do. Actually, playing the video in IE required me to accept the plugin being activated, which caused the page to reload and then I had to click the video to activate it due to the EOLAS patent issue with IE. In FF it loaded and played when the page came up with no intervention.

 

Well, whether you like it or not Microsoft is the leader in the industry and whether you like it or not this will not change in the foreseeable future. Firefox and others come and go, IE is here to stay (remember NetScape, history is just repeating itself here) . My primary concern is o make the website work corretly with IE, and if I save a HUGE amount of time by using Expression Web, that's what I'll do. I see some websites with pages that still say "In construction" after mounths and years. I built mine in just a few days and will be complete in couple of more. As far as the spitting junk is concerned, I think you are wrong about that too. When I go into the code view I see nothing that I would call junk. Expression Web does have some bugs of course but that's what updates are for. And the video is for the people WHO WANT TO WATCH IT (Some people do, and not everybody knows about SIO2PC, plus seeing someting working is much better than not seeing it at all). If you don't want to watch it the solutuon is simple, simply ignore it. It does not start automatically so it's not intrusive.

 

Just one humble suggestion for you. Once in a while, try to look at things positively, makes you feel a lot better.

Ray (And your name is?)

Edited October 14, 2007 by atari8warez

[wawasbdr]

Well, whether you like it or not Microsoft is the leader in the industry and whether you like it or not this will not change in the foreseeable future. Firefox and others come and go, IE is here to stay (remember NetScape, history is just repeating itself here) . My primary concern is o make the website work corretly with IE, and if I save a HUGE amount of time by using Expression Web, that's what I'll do. I see some websites with pages that still say "In construction" after mounths and years. I built mine in just a few days and will be complete in couple of more. As far as the spitting junk is concerned, I think you are wrong about that too. When I go into the code view I see nothing that I would call junk. Expression Web does have some bugs of course but that's what updates are for. And the video is for the people WHO WANT TO WATCH IT (Some people do, and not everybody knows about SIO2PC, plus seeing someting working is much better than not seeing it at all). If you don't want to watch it the solutuon is simple, simply ignore it. It does not start automatically so it's not intrusive.

 

Just one humble suggestion for you. Once in a while, try to look at things positively, makes you feel a lot better.

Ray (And your name is?)

 

My name is Chris. You need to go to http://www.nonprofittips.com/is-my-web-sit...ve-checklist-1/ and read it. The only thing you did correct is not make the video autoplay.

 

I see lots of junk in your site code. It's bloated, contained things that aren't valid HTML, XML, etc... Awful, awful site. and I'm positive I'll go elsewhere if something happens to my SIO2PC cable, like atarimax.

 

It's obvious you have no experience with HTML, CSS, etc... You've alienated the 20% or so who use something other than IE on Windows, plus every Mac user by designing your site this way. Never mind that fact that the Office like code Expression Web spits out doesn't even work in IE half the time.

 

I'll repeat it again, you know NOTHING about web design and coding. Instead of fixing it to work correctly, you blame Firefox for your spaghetti code made with Microsoft's crappy web editor (that no professional will ever touch, I might add!).

Edited October 23, 2007 by wawasbdr

[MEtalGuy66]

Hi. This is a simple, neat, and efficient way to build, install, and use SIO2PC.

 

Once it's done, you just hook your atari directly to your PC with a standard 9-pin PC serial cable.

 

I've done quite a few of these, and this design DOES work fine with real disk drives attatched to your ATARI, as well.

 

The jumper is to switch between DSR and RI for the ATARI's COMMAND line. APE works with either configuration, so really

this isn't even necessary, but may help with other software designed to use one or another specific incarnation of SIO2PC.

 

 

 

Let's not forget how incredibly simple (and cheap.) it is to build this interface yourself..

 

The version above uses a generic piece of perf-board and is the size of an American Nickel (5cent piece) when completed.

[atari8warez]

Hi Chris,

 

I wasn't really going to reply to this, as I mostly see it a waste of my time which can be more productively used for building hardware but I decided to write this on my coffee break

 

As I noted earlier, notwithstanding your unproductive and unfriendly comments, my site does work and it does what it's supposed to do. Whether the code is Spaghetti or Linguine is not an issue here. I build PRACTICAL and WORKING solutions whether it is software or hardware (ask people who bought an interface from me or better yet check my feedback here. )

 

I am not going to go into a lengthy p***ing contest with you about writing code. My 30 years experience also speaks for itself when it comes writing software professionally but that's a different story all together. I just see the website as a tool to be in touch with people who care to buy or already bought an interface from me and not as a venue to test my coding skills. Obviously you are in a totally different wavelength. I just wish you the best in your quest in designing the ultimate website. What I really need from you is simply to take your rants to somewhere else, and you are most welcome not to buy an interface from me as I have enough work to keep myself busy with no time to deal with nonsense, besides I am not doing this to make a living, it's just my hobby and I enjoy doing it.

 

If I alienated some 20% of users who use browsers other than IE, as you suggested, I should add that I am now checking the web site with Firefox every time I make a change. Although I must repeat, my focus is on IE and don't have time to spend to make it 100% compatible with every browser that might be out there.

 

Have a good day (and a good life) Chris.

Ray

 

P.S: For curiosity's sake I did a Validator check on the AtariAge main page to see How it compares to my site's main page. Seeing the results, should I conclude that AtariAge web site is even worse (with 51 errors) then my site (with 23 errors). I doubt it. If you ask me (which I doubt you will, but I'll say it anyway) these tools are designed for naysayers who have nothing to do but waste their time on the net looking for nonsense statistics to simply criticize.

 

Oh don't forget to check your beloved Mozilla's blog site either. with 35 errors it seems to fare worse than my site. Anyway, enough said!.

Edited October 24, 2007 by atari8warez

[atari8warez]

So I see it's not just Chris who's working against me. Ken, what's the purpose of hijacking this thread, if I may ask so?

 

The SIO2PC is no secret to anyone in the Atari community. It's not difficult to build one if you have some electronics, soldering, cutting and drilling skills. But as the saying goes, SOMEBODY HAS TO DO IT. And that somebody has to have time and motivation to do it. We all know how simple is to make a pizza but a lot of people simply prefer ordering it from the neigbourhood Pizza store to be delivered to their door. It's called service and convenience.

 

I do offer people a service where they can pick and choose the options they want and get the interface custom built to their specs delivered to their door. (Only in a few days I might add).

 

So please, if you want to make a comment, comment on the subject, do not try to divert it. It does not look good on the screen (like my website ).

 

By the way how's your MIO board orders coming along? Did everybody get their device yet? Your thread from 2006 still seems to be active.

Edited October 24, 2007 by atari8warez

[accousticguitar]

I haven't used IE in years. I only use Netscape. Some sites don't work, but I figure their not worth going to anyway if they don't work with my browser.

[atari8warez]

I haven't used IE in years. I only use Netscape. Some sites don't work, but I figure their not worth going to anyway if they don't work with my browser.

 

That's of course a choice you can make. I simply wouldn't tie the worthiness of whatever they are doing simply on their choice of browser support, but that's me anyway.

[atari8warez]

Please delete..

Edited October 24, 2007 by atari8warez

[mos6507]

Well, whether you like it or not Microsoft is the leader in the industry and whether you like it or not this will not change in the foreseeable future. Firefox and others come and go, IE is here to stay (remember NetScape, history is just repeating itself here) .

 

Sorry, but IE's ActiveX security holes pretty much signed its death warrant. It was great at first until the virus authors ruined it. People started flocking to Firefox in masses before Microsoft issued XP SP2 with all of the security lockdowns. The damage is done. IE's marketshare is there by default (kind of like AOL used to be for ISPs). Only the clueless use IE these days. Most everyone else are concerned enough about viruses and have lost enough faith in microsoft that they've closed the book on IE forever.

[MEtalGuy66]

So I see it's not just Chris who's working against me. Ken, what's the purpose of hijacking this thread, if I may ask so?

 

The SIO2PC is no secret to anyone in the Atari community. It's not difficult to build one if you have some electronics, soldering, cutting and drilling skills. But as the saying goes, SOMEBODY HAS TO DO IT. And that somebody has to have time and motivation to do it. We all know how simple is to make a pizza but a lot of people simply prefer ordering it from the neigbourhood Pizza store to be delivered to their door. It's called service and convenience.

 

I do offer people a service where they can pick and choose the options they want and get the interface custom built to their specs delivered to their door. (Only in a few days I might add).

 

So please, if you want to make a comment, comment on the subject, do not try to divert it. It does not look good on the screen (like my website ).

 

By the way how's your MIO board orders coming along? Did everybody get their device yet? Your thread from 2006 still seems to be active.

 

How is it hijacked? I was on your side, bro.. Chris said he wouldnt buy your interface. All I did was reference a previosu post which I had already made on how easy it is to go do it yourself. Maybe I shouldve added a few words in support of your work. I thought it was kinda obvious, considering the conversation in the thread. Not everyone can use a soldering iron effectively. And those who can are not potential customers of yours.. So I am not trying to hijack anything. If anything, it should serve to give people insight as to what's actually entailed in the SIO2PC.

[sup8pdct]

I haven't used IE in years. I only use Netscape. Some sites don't work, but I figure their not worth going to anyway if they don't work with my browser.

 

That's of course a choice you can make. I simply wouldn't tie the worthiness of whatever they are doing simply on their choice of browser support, but that's me anyway.

 

Just an interesting note. On tomshardware, a survey was taken on which browser people use. Firefox come out just ahead by .1% or some small figure like that.

 

 

James

[philburnite]

Nice work metal guy on your sio2pc build and installation , I was going to do the same with my interface and mount the board inside the atari and fit the 9 way to the back of the machine but i desided to build a cable instead so that 1, i didnt have to cut the plastic on my beloved atari ( cos im chicken) and 2, I can use the sio2pc on any machine by just disconecting from the serial port and and re attaching it to another atari if needed oh and in any case i havnt got the correct cutting tools to make a d shaped hole in my xe and the thought of useing a hot nife or soldering iron wasnt nice lol . I'll post some pics of my data lead soon if anybody wants to see it ?

[WizWor]

No good deed goes unpunished, warez. I'm not in the market for your product, but I can see value in it for people who do not want to shell out $100 for SIO2PC+APE. I wouldn't hang around debating browsers -- there's no market for your product on these forums. People here roll their own or shop Atarimax.

 

What you want to do is set up a search on ebay that notifies you every time Steve puts a USB SIO2PC up for auction. Put one of yours on to close about an hour later. Use carefully chosen key words to describe your product so that it shows up in every imaginable query.

 

Your web page is poor, though, and you should fix the html. I think you should simplify your product selection too.

 

Your top page needs to communicate what your product will do -- connect an atari to a pc, connect a 1050 to a pc. Then you want to tell people why they want to do this -- especially people who stumble across your auction without really knowing what sio2pc is. Then you can let them select a product and configure it.

 

I applaud your effort. I think it's great that anyone is supporting the A8. I bought Steve Tucker's products and think they are fine, but I think a 'value' option should be welcomed -- not scorned.

 

Best of luck...len!

[Zonie]

Hmm...No real domain name, really bad site layout with text that overlaps in Firefox....I don't think so...

 

Thanks for the comments, but to be more constructive would you care to explain in more detail. I designed the site for IE7/IE6 not Firefox, but I will download it and see how it looks that way. Although I doubt I will put too much effort to make it fully Firefox compatible (at least not yet)

 

UPDATE: Wow!, Now seeing it in Firefox, I would say Firefox has major compatibility problems. Media Player does not work, some links don't work, fonts are a mess, pictures display erratically, what else.... No wonder Firefox is lightweight, installs in seconds but that's about the only + compared to IE.

Being a MS opponent is easy, just rant all day long, doing the real thing the right way is something completely different.

I think that data is skwewd, I use Firefox, have been a mozilla user for years. fewer hacker and popup issues. I think more people use it than let on to keep the shitheads from screwing with it. Maybe even the shitheads use it...Don't shit where you eat???

Edited October 25, 2007 by Zonie

[atari8warez]

Well, whether you like it or not Microsoft is the leader in the industry and whether you like it or not this will not change in the foreseeable future. Firefox and others come and go, IE is here to stay (remember NetScape, history is just repeating itself here) .

 

Sorry, but IE's ActiveX security holes pretty much signed its death warrant. It was great at first until the virus authors ruined it. People started flocking to Firefox in masses before Microsoft issued XP SP2 with all of the security lockdowns. The damage is done. IE's marketshare is there by default (kind of like AOL used to be for ISPs). Only the clueless use IE these days. Most everyone else are concerned enough about viruses and have lost enough faith in microsoft that they've closed the book on IE forever.

 

Strange, I haven't used any browser but IE since the inception of the net and I only had one instance of virus infection so far and that thing came with the mail. In fact at the beginning I was thinking that virii is just a joke. When I think about it now i say maybe it is... safe s....urfing!! . Guys, I am clueless yet I have a feeling that you have to keep your pants UP! and go easy on the porn sites. Seriously though, I think it's a matter of awareness rather than the browser. I should know, as I already mentioned, I am using the IE "crap" since day one and I am safe and sound.