Project Atari ST SW user supporting database

[ParanoidLittleMan]

We may see plenty of problems reported by users in diverse forums, e-mails, etc about diverse problems in running some Atari ST(E) SW on some Atari ST(E) and compatibles, clones, emulators.

Some problems are just typical, and raise over and over again - new users will ask practically same what is already answered. But it's normal - who can search all forums for such thing ?

 

So, I put on here my old project - I proposed it at AF years ago, and it never got any support there. Time to move forward, and try in other place.

 

Idea is to run WEBsite where will be interactive and pretty much flexible database with fields with useful information for Atari SW users. There will be fixed fields with most common problem makers - like TOS version, RAM sizes (min/max) ... and couple free fillable fields, where people can submit not so common problems, but taking care about some things. It is just not possible to set so much fields as many problem types exist. There should be field with link to improved, more compatible SW version(s) too.

 

Example: Game title: Grand Monster Slam , after that may be year of release, publisher or cracking release data, year of that ... all it to clearly specify concrete release, since problem may be only in some crack, and not in original.

In this case, problem is bug in original self. Problem description: fails on STE (lines on screen instead pic.)

Optional explanation of error: here it is bug in code - too big loop counter causes overwrite of HW scroll registers in STE - this is btw. rare case, much TOS version related problems.

Link(s) to updated versions, fix : At Atarimania there is Steem patch included for this game, but that's rare case. I have fixed STX + ST images in Game Archive:

http://atari.8bitchip.info/ASTGA/G/grandms.php

 

Why we need such base ? Because it is really hard to find exact problem, incompatibility reason, especially for beginners. There are problems with TOS version, RAM size - even more RAM may be problem, HW - specific TT, Falcon compatibility problems, etc. Then come diverse bugs in SW. Then some very special code, using undocumented features - like Spectrum 512 and followers - they have problems with clones, older emulators, and there are some demos still not working 100% OK, except on real HW.

 

Interactive base is needed because there is lot of SW, SW versions, and no person or crew which alone could fill it, even just partially. Things are just that lot of things is known for small number of people, and is present in diverse forums, but that will not help some user with concrete problem. Certainly years will be needed until database reaches some level of population, but no other way,

 

Recent topic at AF, mentioned by me in some other recent post here is maybe best example of very likely problem "config" : testing some crack, menu disk with Steem SSE, later versions. that's just bad idea. Maybe good for intro self, if it is some tricky one, but there are big chances for some trouble. So, database should include recommended settings for Steem SSE too Of course, in optional field(s) for specific problems. Really not easy to understand all those 68901, 6301 and similar settings there

 

User contributions: that will be probably hardest part. It should be accessible easily for all, but we know that it may result with some bad data submitted. So, some control is inevitable.

There will be guide for submissions, but question is how to solve access ? Registration or what ?

Motivating people: maybe would be good to track submissions, and have some "High-Score" list .

 

Constructive ideas are welcome ...