Kudos for ATOS

[Gunstar]

This past weekend I finally got around to setting up my 130XE to fully exploit the potential it had with the SIO2PC/PentiumPC/A.P.E software/ATOS hardware&software I have now.

If you are an 8-bit fan and still don't have it upgraded with a hard drive or with an SIO2PC/PC combination then you need to do this soon...very soon. It makes your 8-bit rock!

 

A bit of background first for those who don't know:

An SIO2PC is a cable/adapter that when used with the proper software (APE for example-on the PC), sets up "virtual" drives, up to 16 megabytes, and can run them at speeds as fast or faster than the fastest modified Atari drive (except hard disk) and allows you to use the modem and printer and possibly other things as well. Let me point out that these "virtual" Atari drives can access data from ANY PC drive as well (cd,floopy,hardrive,etc).

 

Now, we add ATOS into the mix.

ATOS is basically Windows 3.1 for the 8-bit Atari (upgraded as mentioned above).

This isn't some lame, basically useless graphic environment like the old RAT/Diamond/SAM systems, this is a full-fledged windows system that has Spartados behind it (Atari MS-dos). You can have screen savers (using just about any gfx demo you can find or any .com, .exe or .obj type files), Wallpaper (tons of cool stuff already in-system),a ton of icons for the desktop, full access to upto 9 real or virtual drives, full directory/subdirectory disk use, etc., etc. this has it all, just like the Mac or Windows. It really seems like your using a Mac jr. or ST jr. (in mono mode). You are able to configure it to use a trackball, touch tablet, joystick, ST/AMIGA mouse, etc. BUT, I couldn't do anything until I actually used an ST mouse to start with and then go in and reconfigure for another device. I actually had to get out the soldering iron and fix an old ST mouse before I could do anything.

 

So now I have this perfect and humorous setup going:

When my extra PC is turned on it auto-boots the APE software and mounts the ATOS disk image to D1:. Then I turn on the XE and it automatically boots up Spartados/ATOS from the PC. Then, I have it load a text greeting (done with a batch file)up right away into the ATOS's onboard speech synthesizer (similiar to S.A.M-it sounds like the computer from WARGAMES) and it reads aloud the text which basically informs the user that: "Hello, I am the Atari 130XE. I have assimilated the Gateway 2000 PC next to me. I am laughing at the Pentium's superior intelect. I rule. Atari rules. resistance is futile"

 

Then, if both machines are left alone so that the screen-savers start; on the XE I have a text demo running that says "I'm with stupid >>" (pointing toward the PC) and the PC has a 3D text, screen-saver playing that reads; "Atari whipin'Boy." it's all pretty neat (IMHO).

Any program in a .com or.exe file format can be run through ATOS and when reset is hit it returns to the desktop. So it's near 100% compatibility with Atari software.

 

 

[ 01-29-2002: Message edited by: Gunstar ]

[Albert]

That's a pretty cool setup you have there, thanks for describing it. I need to look around for this ATOS, I don't think I've ever seen it but it sounds very interesting. I'd really like to get one of my Atari 8-bits setup so I can access my PeeCee peripherals with it. I'd much rather play disk-based 8-bit games on a real 8-bit, and if I can do that without having to deal with clunky (and slow) 8-bit drives, even better. Plus someday I need to get my old 8-bit BBS up and running again.

 

..Al

[Gunstar]

It's on the 'Closer to home BBS,' well, now it's a web site called 'Closer to home Enterprises.' Here's the link:ATOS

[AtariGuy]

i set it up in my sio2pc/ape environment the other night...very slick! i need to play with it a bit more, but it's very impressive.

[Gunstar]

quote:

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Originally posted by AtariGuy:

i set it up in my sio2pc/ape environment the other night...very slick! i need to play with it a bit more, but it's very impressive.

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The main thing is creating "object" files or whatever for all your favorite programs to work directly from the windows part of the desktop, I'm still in the process of doing that. The manual says to look at the Unarc and Unzip programs that Tom (the programmer) already put in a window (I think it's in the Utilities icon) for examples in how to do this...