14.Nov.2002
Mirko Naumann (E-Mail)
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Elbox dispels rumours about usb.device
Press release: For long years, our company has been making efforts to make users of our hardware proud that they receive the best software support. This support is also the most dynamically expanded in the Amiga market.
Some persons/companies do not like this situation, as they would like to compete with Elbox. They know they cannot, though: they have no knowledge or employees to work with or determination to provide on-going support for their products. However, we continue receiving signals from various sources on attempts at disassembling and hacking our drivers for the purpose of stealing the results of our efforts and work.
In recent days the Amiga community witnessed rumours related to our latest product: the Spider USB 2.0 card. In order to clarify this we feel obliged to respond officially to them.
Rumour: Using the Elbox usb.device with an USB PCI card other than Spider USB 2.0 High-Speed may lead to trashing the disk RDB.
Answer: Not true.
If anyone is trying to run the Elbox usb.device with any USB PCI card other
than Spider USB 2.0 (for which this driver is dedicated), the only result
is that the driver does not work with this card and a requester window
appears on the screen: 'No Spider USB 2.0 card found.'
Rumour: Whoever has a Mediator may modify Spider drivers so that they support USB PCI cards from other parties.
Answer: No.
The Elbox usb.device is software protected by international copyright law.
Only owners of the Spider card are licensed to use these drivers (the
drivers are bundled with the cards). The only legal way to acquire the
usb.device drivers is to buy the original Spider package. The software
is always licensed for a specific person and only that person. The
licence for using the driver does not give any right to modify the
code (which is property of Elbox).
Rumour: The usb.device driver has some procedures, which may damage hdd RDB if any external program accidentally damages the driver code.
Answer: No.
Elbox pays much attention to protect its drivers against any improper operation in case of accidental damage to their code by any external events. To ensure this, Elbox drivers are encrypted. When run, they automatically decrypt themselves and verify internal checksums to guarantee the maximum security of operation. This is the best way to prevent program crash if, due to any reason, the code is damaged when read from the media.
Obviously, even such protection measures cannot protect the program against a hacking attack, that is against a program, which purposefully modifies the code to make some part of it operate in a way different from the original intention. No software available for Amiga computers, including Amiga operating systems, can be 100% protected against such hacking attacks.
We hope that what we have stated here explains away all the doubts for good. As always, we stand with full guarantee for our software and our registered users have no reasons to worry. We develop and distribute software, which is reliable, efficient and innovative.
Mariusz Wloczysiak
ELBOX COMPUTER, Press Department
(ps)
[News message: 14. Nov. 2002, 12:30] [Comments: 0]
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14.Nov.2002
AmigaZone (ANF)
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AmigaZone present StAHG - The Standard Amiga Help Guide
Press Realease from AmigaZone
Presenting StAHG, The Standard Amiga Help Guide
AmigaZone's FREE GIFT to the world-wide Amiga Community..
© 2002 The AmigaZone division of Merlancia Industries
The AmigaZone division of Merlancia industries is proud to present StAHG,
a simple ReAction based tool created for the purpose of making an Amiga's
collection of help files easier to access. Naturally, the first question
to come up is, "What help files?" The answer is, "Exactly!" Or, if you
prefer, all those help files buried deep within the confines of the
"HELP:" assign.
Now, the AmigaZone division of Merlancia Industries is offering a free
program that helps to clean that mess up, and in the process takes
advantage of an overlooked feature of AmigaOS 3.5 (and above).
StAHG builds a list of all of the documents found in the "Help:" assign and
its subdirectories (.doc, .dok, .txt, .guide), then creates "Workbench.guide"
in the propor location to satisfy the requirements for the HELP button to
open the file in Multiview. Once run, "Workbench.guide" is available to
the OS, and StAHG does not need to be run again (unless you want to update
your "Workbench.guide") Directory Opus users may want to note that
"Workbench.guide" does not clash with, or override, the Magellen help system.
StAHG is a free download. This is AmigaZone's gift back to the community
for years of their support. Of course we would like you to sign up for
the free trial period to try AmigaZone.. We'd like it even more if you'd
join AmigaZone as a fully paid member.. We do not, however, require that,
in order for you to have StAHG. There are no pop-up advertising windows,
as this was just a fun way to remind everyone of the wonderful service we
offer.. and have been offering since the Amiga was born in 1985.
StAHG's Requirements:
AmigaOS 3.5 or higher
AWNPipe
RexxTricks.library
ReqTools
RexxReqtools
Author's note: It's not the end-all of applications, but hey, it's free,
right? ;-)
Download: stahg.lha (ps)
[News message: 14. Nov. 2002, 11:50] [Comments: 0]
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14.Nov.2002
Scott Pistorino (ANF)
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AmigaSource: Interview with Fleecy Moss
AmigaSource is proud to announce its second interview with the big names
in the Amiga Community. Drop on in and read the exclusive
interview with Fleecy Moss
of Amiga Inc.
(ps)
[News message: 14. Nov. 2002, 11:38] [Comments: 0]
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13.Nov.2002
Celso (ANF)
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Kyocera PDA with Intent in Japan
Who likes to see a PDA with Intent, might do this here. Japanese might be
useful but with the flash animations not required. The exact
specifications of the "Cosmo" are to find
here. But its way to Europe seems to be still a long one. In Australia it looks like it will be to buy.
(ps) (Translation: ub)
[News message: 13. Nov. 2002, 21:55] [Comments: 0]
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13.Nov.2002
Carsten Siegner (ANF)
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Remote control GUI for FroggerNG
Carsten Siegner writes:
Motivated by boredom I tinkered a "remote control" for FroggerNG. This offers a data requester, play, pause,
stop, multi data select and prevfile/nextfile (if several files are selected).
Furthermore it can easy used to control the volume of FroggerNG. There is a video CD option for replaying VCDs, but this function isn't integrated into FroggerNG yet. Only an error message appears. The numberblock isn't read in yet. Since this is only a test program don't expect something special.
Download: Froogerfernbedienung.lzx
(ps) (Translation: ub)
[News message: 13. Nov. 2002, 21:50] [Comments: 0]
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13.Nov.2002
Apex Designs
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Mac: Demo version of Payback available for Mac
Since today there is a demo version for the game Payback for Macintosh available.
Playing Payback you slip into the role of a young driver, who is on the escape and aims to become a big gangster boss.
(ps) (Translation: ub)
[News message: 13. Nov. 2002, 18:13] [Comments: 0]
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13.Nov.2002
GFX-Base
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GFX-Base: Some changes
The English news page GFX-Base has optimized their web site and will in the future deliver with news not only belonging
to the Amiga as well. There are the following categories planned:
Funny web sites, cool flash animations, interesting IT news, retro news, demo scene
news and other interesting things. Actually Michael VanAllen works on an improvement
of the GFX-Base forum.
(ps) (Translation: ub)
[News message: 13. Nov. 2002, 18:01] [Comments: 0]
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13.Nov.2002
Grasshopper LLC
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DTP: PageStream 4.1 - New help data files
For the DTP program PageStream there were new help data files published.
Future versions will contain these help files automatically.
Download: pgs41help.zip
(ps) (Translation: ub)
[News message: 13. Nov. 2002, 17:51] [Comments: 0]
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13.Nov.2002
ANN
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Events: Ottawa Amiga Show reports
As reported, on the 9th of
November the Ottawa Amiga Show 2002 was held in Ottawa, Ontario. By following the title link there is a picture report by Zoltan Hunt (Zee4) available.
Another report by Darren Eveland is to get at ANN
here.
(ps) (Translation: ub)
[News message: 13. Nov. 2002, 16:50] [Comments: 0]
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13.Nov.2002
DeNIC
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DeNIC: New DENIC name servers are showing effect
After inauguration of the new servers - among other places one in Tokio
and two in the USA - the response times for DE domains were decreased
dramatically. User in Asia, North America and from the Pacific area are
gaining most. This was shown by measurements of the Japanese domain
register authority JPRS and the DENIC. Recently Internet users from Japan,
Corea, China or Australia had to wait 300 milli seconds avaragely, this
values were more than halved now. Most drastically this decrease shows
effect in Japan where the times were cut from 270 to less than 5 milli
seconds. Requests from the USA for DE domains are also answered faster
now by the both new servers at the American east and west coast. The
response times were reduced from about 170 to 70 milli seconds.
In Europe the coverage was very hight recently. But it has been further
improved by some more name servers. With the additional name server in
London as an example the response time for Great Britain was halved to
about 25 milli seconds.
Background: Name server
Name servers ensure that an Internet site is reachable, because these
have the assigns between domain and numeric IP address saved. The central
name server for all DE domains is run by the DENIC eG located in Frankfurt.
Copies of the information of this primary name server are stored at
several secondary name servers in Frankfurt, Karlsruhe, Dortmund,
Stuttgart, London, Vienna, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Tokio,
Elmsford, NY und San Jose, CA. The worldwide distribution ensures that
the information is everywhere in a short time available and even a server
failure don't lead to reasonable delays.
In peak times there are 20.000 and more requests to be answered by each
server. At all there are more then a hundred million requests daily.
Picture material:
A map with all name servers for the DE-Zone is at the
website http://www.denic.de/images/nameservermap.gif
available.
A graphic with the comparisation before and after the inauguration is to get at
http://www.denic.de/images/nameserver.pdf.
(ps) (Translation: ub)
[News message: 13. Nov. 2002, 16:21] [Comments: 0]
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13.Nov.2002
Grzegorz Kraszewski (ANF)
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TTEngine 5.0 released
TTEngine is the TrueType font based text rendering engine for AmigaOS.
Version 5.0 can be downloaded from the home page
of TTEngine. New version has some interesting features.
- Two new functions: TT_GetPixmap() and TT_FreePixmap() for text pixelmap
extraction. Pixelmap is 8 bit per pixel, 256 gray levels. Then the pixmap
may be further processed. Useful for e.g. painting and image processing
software.
- Antialiasing is now based on pixel luminance and hue (RGB correction is
applied as well). Gives even better text quality especially on contrasting
background (e.g. red text on green).
- New text styles: underline, double underline, overstrike, double overstrike.
- Fixed bugs in JAM2, INVERSVID and COMPLEMENT draw modes.
- Colours of text can be now specified directly as RGB via TT_Foreground
and TT_Background tags.
As always some bugs have been fixed. Check "release_notes" file in the
distribution archive for the full list of changes.
(ps)
[News message: 13. Nov. 2002, 13:12] [Comments: 0]
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13.Nov.2002
Steffen Häuser (ANF)
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Game: New settings for Bots Quake2-Mods
It's happend to be that the new "Battle of the Sexes" mod, which is at the Amiga
Quake2 site downloadable is incompatible if run with the default settings. At the Amiga Quake2 site I made a new QuakeII.info (Bots.info) downloadable which contains slightly modificated settings and works with Bots also.
The not yet released "Blastchamber" mod
and several other modules not yet released, might have this problem.
So better use the new icon file.
With the basic game Quake2 and most other mods the default settings will
work as well. Only some mods like Bots were hit by that problem and for these the new file solves the problem.
Steffen Häuser
Hyperion Entertainment
(ps) (Translation: ub)
[News message: 13. Nov. 2002, 13:10] [Comments: 0]
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13.Nov.2002
Grzegorz Kraszewski (ANF)
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Matay: Prometheus RTL8029 driver update
V1.3 of prm-rtl8029.device (a driver for Ethernet cards) is available for
download here.
It will also be available soon at Matay website. (ps)
[News message: 13. Nov. 2002, 13:02] [Comments: 0]
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13.Nov.2002
Bernd Lachner (ANF)
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Sharp announces new Zaurus models
Like Infosync (see title link) reports, Sharp announces two new Zaurus
models. The SL 5600 (B500 in Japan) for the USA and Japan and the
C700 for Japan only. There is nothing said about an availability in Germany.
The model SL 5600 is a further developed SL5500. A comparisation of the technical dates is to obtain from
linux devices.
The SL5600 contains with the XScale 400 MHz a faster processor,
a stronger accu and an updated software suite (e. g.
newer Linux kernel, Opera6). Furthermore the SL 5600 has a lot more (64 MB instead of 16 MB) Flash memory than the SL 5500. This will be used now with the SL 5600 for installing additional programs and to save data. So programs and data won't be lost even the accu runs empty.
The original press announcement by Sharp about the SL 5600 is to get
here.
This even shows that the Jeode Java System by Insignia will be used and not the Java implementation of he Amiga partner TAO.
At Golem there is the article
reworked Linux-PDA Sharp Zaurus introduced in the USA to read.
(ps) (Translation: ub)
[News message: 13. Nov. 2002, 12:58] [Comments: 0]
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12.Nov.2002
AmiSpaTra
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Australia: Synapse Computer closes - many special offers
The Australian trader Synapse Computer closes after ten years at
30th November 2002 its shop and has created a list with Amiga software
offered at special prices.
(ps) (Translation: gf)
[News message: 12. Nov. 2002, 19:53] [Comments: 0]
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12.Nov.2002
WHDLoad
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Installer: WHDLoad - New packets (until 11.11.2002)
With WHDLoad you can install games on your hard drive which were
originally made only for use with disks. The following packets have been
added or updated since our last message:
- 11.11.02 improved: SAS Combat Simulator (Code Masters) supports another version
- 11.11.02 improved: Populous 2 (EOA/Bullfrog) more stable, support for EZMouse
- 11.11.02 improved: Mig-29 Soviet Fighter (Code Masters/Rapier Design) small fixes, supports another version
- 11.11.02 improved: Midwinter 2 (Maelstrom Games) supports another version
- 11.11.02 improved: Gobliins 2 (Cocktel Vision) supports another version
- 11.11.02 improved: Campaign 2 (Empire) supports another version
- 11.11.02 new: Blazing Thunder (Hi-Tec Software) done by Galahad
- 07.11.02 improved: SAS Combat Simulator (Code Masters) supports another version
- 07.11.02 improved: Populous 2 (EOA/Bullfrog) miscellaneous changes
- 07.11.02 improved: Midwinter 2 (Maelstrom Games) supports German version
- 07.11.02 improved: Campaign 2 (Empire) supports another version
- 05.11.02 improved: Monkey Island 2 (Lucasfilms Games) miscellaneous changes
(ps)
[News message: 12. Nov. 2002, 18:48] [Comments: 0]
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12.Nov.2002
OSNews.com
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ExtremeTech: Interview with Bill McEwen
Under the ExtremeTech title "Amiga`s Grand Plans Revealed" you will find an interview with Bill McEwen, talking about the future plans of Amiga Inc.
In the interview Bill McEwen mentions that AmigaOS 4 for PPC will be finished in three weeks - the single components are ready have to be fit together.
(ps) (Translation: gf)
[News message: 12. Nov. 2002, 17:36] [Comments: 0]
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12.Nov.2002
Steffen Haeuser (ANF)
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Amiga Quake2 Page with new design
The Amiga Quake2 page has a new design, thanks to Tristan Mangold. To consecrate the new page two new mods are released on it:
Annihilation Q2 - a deathmatch mod with many weapons
HolyWars Q" - chase the one with the halo!
Have fun!
Steffen Häuser
Hyperion Entertainment
(ps) (Translation: gf)
[News message: 12. Nov. 2002, 17:18] [Comments: 0]
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12.Nov.2002
Faces of Mars (ANF)
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freeCD: Amiga Fonts
Amiga Fonts contains about 700 fonts in TrueType- and CompuGraphics format.
The fonts are sorted by name and a special drawer with SciFi fonts is integrated. The CD can be ordered on the FOM site and will cost 3 Euro.
(ps) (Translation: gf)
[News message: 12. Nov. 2002, 10:21] [Comments: 0]
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11.Nov.2002
Digital Almanac Homepage
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Astronomy: Modifications in Digital Almanac III
Achim Stegemann writes:
In order to keep the program slim, I decided to cut off some very old stuff. In this
case the support of the graphics format IFF-RGFX will be stopped. IFF-RGFX is an
alternative graphic format to IFF-ILBM, which was originaly developed by Andreas
Kleinert and carried by me.
While IFF-ILBM only archieves a weak image compression, IFF-RGFX offers by the use
of the XPK modular compression rates for the encoding. Unfortunately this format was
never assumed by the Amigans. I do not know any other program, which supports RGFX
except SuperView and Digital Almanac. Therefore I threw it now of the program. RGFX
was replaced by the portable PNG format, which is supported already for some time in
DA III.
Moreover I am developing a new concept for the program documentation. Instead of
using connected HTML files as before, which can be read then in an external Browser.
From now on a program assistance will appear within DA III. Each window therefore
possesses its own description, which in an extra assistance window is displayed.
Thus storage space is saved and an update of the documentation is likewise simpler
than so far. The release of the new DA III version 4.9 are to be expected in December
2002!
(ps) (Translation: sk)
[News message: 11. Nov. 2002, 23:43] [Comments: 0]
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11.Nov.2002
Jan Andersen (E-Mail)
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Antivirus software: xvs.library Version 33.39
Georg Hoermann has just released a new update of the xvs.library.
Remember this library is very important for all the major antivirus
programs, because they all use this library to get recog. for viruses.
Here is some info about the new update:
Name: External Virus Scanner Library
Version: v33.39
Archive name: xvslibrary.lha
Archive size: 91.362 bytes (lha packed)
Release date: 11 November 2002
Programmer: Georg Hörmann - ghoermann@gmx.de
News: xvs.library 33.39 (size: 61.196 bytes)
- Added size check to bootblock virus recognition in xvsCheckFile().
Any files bigger than 2048 bytes will no longer be tested for
bootblock viruses to avoid fake recognitions inside disk-images.
- Finally fixed the last MuForce hit ($c0.w) in xvsSurveyMemory().
Thanks to Sensei again for the report and Zeeball for further
suggestions on this topic.
- Fixed severe bug in 'Illegal Access' recognition code that caused
crashes on any files with virus-like hunklengths. Thanks to
Zeeball for the report and the example files.
- Added 'NoName (196 Bytes)' linkvirus and 'XFD Infiltrator' virus.
Thanks to Zeeball for sending them.
- Fixed problems with native MorphOS applications that directly call
xvs.library functions. Thanks to Harry Sintonen for the report and
for further help.
- Implemented custom Disable() function that prevents loss of data
on the serial port during xvsSurveyMemory() calls. Thanks to
Christian of CAPS (www.caps-project.org) for the report and the
excessive beta-testing!
- xvsSurveyMemory() now closes TCP ports opened by several viruses.
These currently are: 1666, 2000, 2001, 2227, 2333, 2421, 2551,
4097 and 9876. Please note that closing an open port doesn't cause
a virus report, it just happens!
- Once again improved the internal security stuff for less timing
problems with sensitive software (serial.device still has trouble
with 115200 baud on a MC68030, use 8n1.device instead!).
- Added 'Neurotic Death' viruses (6 versions) to xvsSurveyMemory()
and the installer files to xvsCheckFile().
- Added new developer files created by Dirk Stöcker. Thanks a lot
and sorry that I forgot to add them to the last release.
- Added installer script written by Dave 'Targhan' Crawford. Thanks
a lot for this contribution.
(ps)
[News message: 11. Nov. 2002, 22:00] [Comments: 1 - 12. Nov. 2002, 14:06]
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