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Topic 4         Sat Jan 23, 1988
LRWALLACE [Lou Wallace]      at 22:41 EST
Sub: Need programming Help For Basic 8?     

Hi,
  This is Lou Wallace (one of the authors of Basic 8).
 I get on Genie fairly often, so if you wish to
1 message(s) total.
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Category 22,  Topic 4
Message 1         Sat Jan 23, 1988
LRWALLACE [Lou Wallace]      at 22:45 EST
 
Q.  How can I convert Printshop Graphics into
    Basic 8 compatiable brushes?  Also, how can
    I convert my Doodle pictures into Basic 8
    loadable pictures? A.  To convert Printshop Graphics use the Basic 8
    programs called 'PrintShop To Brush'.  It will
    turn your Printshop Graphics into B8 brushes o    of any mode.
    To convert Doodle (and other formats) to Basic 8,
    you can use ColorEz, an inexpensive program from
    Briwall.  It sells for about $10-$12.
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Topic 5         Tue Sep 01, 1987
PATECH                       at 12:34 EDT
Sub: New upload for Basic 8.                

We have upload some programs and picture for you tryout.
2 message(s) total.
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Category 22,  Topic 5
Message 1         Tue Sep 01, 1987
PATECH                       at 12:37 EDT
 
We just finished Uploading a set of programs and picture for Basic 8. We plan
to upload on a regular basis (about every week). If you have written any
programs which you would like share with other Basic 8 owners, upload the
program to Genie and send E-mail.

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Category 22,  Topic 5
Message 2         Wed Sep 02, 1987
KEVIN.S [-Sysop-]            at 00:16 EDT
 
These files have been released, and are now available in Library number 38. 
Enjoy, and let's have MORE submissions from everyone!
                  KeS
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Category 22,  Topic 6
Message 1         Tue Sep 01, 1987
PATECH                       at 12:40 EDT
 
We plan to upload the Basic 8 Run-time very soon. This will allow users who do
not have Basic 8 to run these applications. Due to its large  size, we plan
break it up into couple of arced files.
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Category 22,  Topic 6
Message 2         Thu Sep 03, 1987
BKODADEK                     at 02:48 EDT
 
Now, here is a software company that deserves an award.  How can you possibly
beat service and support such as this?  I hope PATECH and Lou  Wallace do very
well with Basic 8.  

Bob
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Category 22,  Topic 6
Message 3         Thu Sep 03, 1987
CHARRINGTON [Courtney]       at 21:37 PDT
 
They will if people stop passing out their UNPROTECTED software.
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Category 22,  Topic 6
Message 4         Fri Sep 04, 1987
BKODADEK                     at 00:50 EDT
 
Well, my software is also unprotected.  So, I really don't know if this
matters much or not.  As you and I both know, there is no software copy
protection scheme that is full proof.  Probably 98% of all software  can be
copied with Fast Hack'em or some other copier.  Even Fast Hack'em is easily
copied by itself and is distributed freely.  I would like to  believe that
both Family Software and PATECH made the right move in eliminating protection.
It has to stop somewhere!  After all, there are honest people in this world. 
The dishonest ones must be punished.  This will be up to the software
companies to enforce.  With the help of the honest folks out there, maybe this
can be accomplished.  Wishful thinking?  I certainly hope not.

Bob
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Category 22,  Topic 6
Message 5         Sun Sep 06, 1987
J.ADAMS                      at 21:14 EDT
 
I believe that PATECH did an EXECELLENT job of protecting BASIC 8.0 with the
creation of the execellent BASIC 8.0 manual.

BASIC 8.0 can be difficult to fully use without the fantastic documentation
provided in the 188 pages provided  w/ BASIC 8.0.  Sure, dishonest users can
copy the software, but it will be a whole lot more trouble to copy the
documentation!

Jeff
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Category 22,  Topic 6
Message 6         Wed Sep 09, 1987
BKODADEK                     at 05:01 EDT
 
Jeff, I hope you are right, but I have been seeing people distributing what
they like to call 'doc disks'.  The disks contain the documentation for
commercial software. All you do is print it out.  This should be illegal but
this people are very open about advertising their services.  Another problem
is the Rent-a-Disk plan.  You rent the software for a couple bucks and zerox
the manual.  The only prson making any money on the deal is the guy renting
the software.  He buys a few copies and thousands of people get the program
for free.  These guuys also take the programs you fine in the magazines and
sell those as well.  By the way, a program published in a magazine is
copyrighted the same as commercial software.  It's disgusting to me that
someone could be so low to take money for someone else's work.  And, the worst
part is that people do buy it and will continue until the software companies
and magazine publishers get together and DO SOMETHING about it.  Just pick up
a copy of COMPUTER SHOPPER sometime and read the classifieds.  It's enough to
make a grown man cry.

Bob Sorry for any typos, it's 5:00 AM!

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Category 22,  Topic 6
Message 7         Thu Sep 10, 1987
DEB                          at 03:59 EDT
 
Bob:  its also illegal to rent out software.  ::grin::  In any other biz where
things are rented, videos, films, whatever, royalties are paid to the
companies and the author on the rentals.  <<Of course, there are exceptions,
you can outright purchase a film and keep all the rentals, but thats not what
software was intended for...>> 

Now, have I gotten off the Basic 8 topic or what?!

   *deb!*
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Category 22,  Topic 6
Message 8         Fri Sep 11, 1987
BKODADEK                     at 02:41 EDT
 
Deb:  I don't think you're off the topic.  Especially when it can  determine
whether PATECH or other software company endures a loss or realizes a profit. 
If renting software isn't illegal (like you, I believe that it is), than it
certainly should be.  RUN Classifieds.  Perhaps some of these folks are legal.
I really don't know.  I do know that it hurts to be on the receiving end of
these  software ripoffs.  Where will it all end?

Bob
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Category 22,  Topic 7
Message 2         Tue Sep 01, 1987
KEVIN.S [-Sysop-]            at 18:20 EDT
 
Many thanks to Lou, and to y'all as well! We can't help but appreciate the
excellent support that has been shown for these nifty packages.  Any new
products on  the market for Christmas for us to drool over?
                KeS
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Topic 9         Sat Nov 14, 1987
J.ADAMS                      at 11:28 EST
Sub: Questions to PATECH                    

This topic is for user questions to PATECH, the publishers of BASIC 8.0 for
the Commodore C128.
9 message(s) total.
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Category 22,  Topic 9
Message 1         Sat Nov 14, 1987
J.ADAMS                      at 11:31 EST
 
Guess I'll start with the first question.  PATECH has uploaded some BASIC
PAINT hires pics that were in DOODLE! format.

How do you convert DOODLE! to BASIC PAINT format, and can you upload a utility
to do so?

I'm sure it would be much appreciated here on GENIE, as we have many DOODLE
owners on line here. (One is writing this!)

Thanks,  Jeff
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Category 22,  Topic 9
Message 2         Sun Nov 29, 1987
KMAROKID                     at 10:50 EST
 
to convert DD picts. to B8. picts you can use COLOREZ128.  Briwall sells it as
a package deal or by itself with Basic 8.  It's unprotected and easy to use. 
It saves DD into 8x8 picts.!  mouse driven in 40 columns(actually joystick
driven).  for $12.00 it's a nice addition to use with Basic 8.   JBEE (:
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Category 22,  Topic 9
Message 3         Mon Nov 30, 1987
STRIKEAGLE                   at 23:32 EST
 
I need a printer driver for a Star SG-10 printer. I am not good at assembly or
machine code, and have not a clue as to writting mmy own driver.  I love basic
8, but as yet I cannot print anything out.  Can you offer any help?           
thanks,     Tom
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Category 22,  Topic 9
Message 4         Tue Dec 01, 1987
KEVIN.S [-Sysop-]            at 01:13 EST
 
Tom
   Have you tried using the Epson driver?  
 It should work quite well with the Star.
          KeS
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Category 22,  Topic 9
Message 5         Tue Dec 01, 1987
STRIKEAGLE                   at 21:26 EST
 
Epson was the first driver I tried, and all I get is a lot of garbage. In many
products, Epson is close enough, but not for this it would seem. Thanks for
your sugestion, and I will keep trying.

                                                    Tom
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Category 22,  Topic 9
Message 6         Wed Feb 17, 1988
J.ADAMS                      at 22:05 EST
 
I have been noticing a "bug" in BASIC PAINT.  When 64K video ram users select
mono mode, and a resolution higher than 640 x 200, strange things can happen
when using the pixel edit (ZOOM) feature of BASIC PAINT.

If you scroll down to a lower portion of a PAINT file (to a section not
normally seen in the 640 x 200 window) you may exhibit the following  "bug".

Zoom in using the pixel edit mode and begin to modify a few pixels.  On
several occasions the pixels modified had the correct "X" coordinate but the
"Y" coordinate was about 20 pixels lower in the display than that reflected in
the the ZOOM display window.

If anyone else has had this problem, let me know.

                                   Cheers:  Jeff
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Category 22,  Topic 9
Message 7         Wed Mar 30, 1988
JOEFAUST [Joe F]             at 20:51 PST
 
PATECK
     I wish to thank you for sending my copy of the BASIC 8 upgrade I never
did get the one you indicated went out with the original  shipment but as I am
sure you know I got the registered copy. I am sorry to take so long to answer
your message to me but my system has been down. Thanks again... Joe Faust
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Category 22,  Topic 9
Message 8         Mon Dec 12, 1988
E.BENDER                     at 18:48 EST
 
Lou, I have a problem with the B8 Bprint v1.04 pgm written by L. Lovehaug.
When I use the 'GET' statement the pgm stops and the Twin Cities ad appears. I
have written to L.L but received no answer so maybe you can help me out.
Apparently the problem is in line 3230. When I delete it the pgm works
partially??   Thanks.
                    E.Bender
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Category 22,  Topic 9
Message 9         Tue Jan 03, 1989
LRWALLACE                    at 12:13 EST
 
Hmmm...
  Since I didn't write that program, I am not immediatly sure what the problem
is.   I will ask Loren next time we talk (which is usually often) about it. 
Or if I don't  hear from him soon, I will take a look  myself.
  Incidently, Loren's GENIE address is sparrow.j
                     Lou
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Topic 12        Wed Dec 23, 1987
LRWALLACE                    at 11:47 EST
Sub: BasicWrite                             

BasicWrite, the Basic 8 color graphics text editor has been sent to Genie. 
This is version 2, the latest.

15 message(s) total.
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Category 22,  Topic 12
Message 1         Wed Dec 23, 1987
LRWALLACE                    at 11:56 EST
 
Hi,
  I just uploaded BasicWrite, version 2. I also uploaded a couple of fonts and
a couple of printer drivers.  There are many many more fonts and printer
drivers available, and I urge Basic 8 owners to upload those fonts and drivers
to this library. There are also documentation pages in BasicWrite format
available, but I did not upload these. They are available on QLink, and if a
user of both services wou:ld get them from QLink and send them here I am sure
everyone would appreciate it.
  The doc pages come in two sets.  The first set iis for 64K VDc users and
consists of 3 pages of 80 columns by 66 lines.  These can only be viewed and
printed by those with 64K VDC.  The other set consist of 9 pages in a 80
column by 22 line format.  These can be used, viewed and  printed by 16K VDC
users.
   BasicWrite works with 16 or 64K VDC ram, but  only those with 64K can get
the full use of its features.  16K users will be limited to documents with a
single screen.  Otherwise you can mix fonts and graphics just as with 64K
systems.
   BasicWrite also supports the 17xx ram expansion cartridges, and if they are
present you can load dozens of fonts into memory.  If you only have a standard
128 (no 17xx) you can still get about 25 fonts in memory.
   BasicWrite supports multiple drives (8-11).
 I suggest you get the Basic 8 program called B8.PS TO BRUSH, which converts
Print Shop  graphics to brushes.  These make great clip art for BasicWrite. 
Also available is JBEE's excellent collection of Basic 8 clipart.  I highly
reccommend it.
                               Lou
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Category 22,  Topic 12
Message 3         Sat Dec 26, 1987
R-SCHREINER                  at 14:30 PST
 
Hey Lou, any chance of getting the corrections from you for Basic Write in 
order to make it legible on my monochrome monitor? I could also use some for 
the workbench on the runtime disk. It seemes I'm always having to guess half
of whats really there but I can't see. On the basic write I don't think I see
more than half of the instructions. Sure be nice if the initial color 
selection you make upon start up would be mono-compatable. Then all the people
with color monitors could adjust the color to their desires and we with mono 
would be able to see what's there.
         Thanks,  Rich
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Category 22,  Topic 12
Message 4         Sat Dec 26, 1987
CHARRINGTON [Courtney]       at 19:03 PST
 
Rick-
 There's a file or somethingin the thread (wayyyyy back) about
 modifying the boot program for mon screens. I did it and it works
 fine. I second that request for the modification on Basic8...I'm
 having the same problem. I'll check and see if it is modifyable like
 the original boot file.
 Courtney
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Category 22,  Topic 12
Message 5         Mon Dec 28, 1987
B.HAYFORD                    at 05:41 EST
 
I wonder if anyone can give a review of the features of BASIC WRITE for Basic
8?  And any of the other applications for that matter.  Now that the traffic
(read support) seems to have picked up I am considering the purchase of Basic
8 (any comments on which - chip or disk - seems best).  I already have the
C128 upgrade roms installed. Regards - Bert Hayford
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Category 22,  Topic 12
Message 6         Tue Dec 29, 1987
KEVIN.S [-128 Sysop-]        at 02:27 EST
 
Bert-
   First of all, when I bought my BASIC 8, which was as soon as they began
shipping, you HAD to buy the disk in order to get the ROM.
   Second, the C128 upgrade ROMS will not be of as much benefit to BASIC 8 as
an expanded video RAM (64k) is.  BASIC 8 is, at heart, a tour de force
dependant upon the unique capabilities of the 8563 video chip in the 128. 
This controller can actually be used as a sort of co-processor, independently
handling multiple screen commands without constant supervision from the CPU. 
What BASIC 8 provides is a fully bit-mapped, graphically oriented programming
environment.  It is superb for anyone doing modeling, animation, etc. in
BASIC, and very good at allowing versatile text manipulation.  It is, however,
a LANGUAGE extension, not primarily an application in itself.  BASIC WRITE,
and PAINT, and the Desktop utility are all functional applications, but they
are, to me, not the primary reasons for buying BASIC 8. So much for my side...
        KeS
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Category 22,  Topic 12
Message 7         Tue Dec 29, 1987
LRWALLACE                    at 15:59 EST
 
Hi,
   Just read the erequest for more mono support.  I do try and support mono
users where I can...but I do NOT have a monochrome display.  My Zenith RGB has
a switch that changes the display to a green screen mono display, and I do
check using that to be sure the picture is viewable.  (BasicWrite is quite
readable in that mode.)  Beyond that, the only thing I can do is limit myself
to a couple of colors that always work on on all monochrome monitors.  That I
am not going to do. I like to use color, sometimes all the colors.   And
sometimes, if you don't have the proper equipment (in this case color RGB),
you may not always be able to run my programs.  Sometimes my programs require
a printer, sometimes a mouse or joystick, and sometimes  they require 64K VDC
or 17XX ram expansion.
   However, in a new program I am working on, if you have 64K VDC it works in
color, if you have 16K it is monochrome.  Again I am trying to make it work
for users with mono only displays, but a color might slip by me.
   By the way, if you read the review of Basic 8 in the Oct RUN  by John
premack, you might have noticed a method of getting ALL 16 colors displayed as
shades on a monochrome monitor...
                            Lou
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Category 22,  Topic 12
Message 13        Fri Jan 01, 1988
LRWALLACE                    at 17:21 EST
 
You're right...It was the November issue with the Basic 8 review and the
instructions on the monochrome modifications.    Once this mod is done to your
cable, you get 16 shades of grey.
                          Lou
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Topic 13        Sun Feb 14, 1988
B.HAYFORD                    at 20:20 EST
Sub: printer driver                         

help with printer driver
5 message(s) total.
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Category 22,  Topic 13
Message 1         Sun Feb 14, 1988
B.HAYFORD                    at 20:23 EST
 
Can someone give me an idea on how to go about obtaining (or manufacturing) a
printer driver for my Commodore MPS 1200 printer? The MPS 801 turns EVERYTHING
sideways in basic 8 calc and Basic 8 Write. Thanks - Bert Hayford
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Category 22,  Topic 13
Message 2         Sun Apr 10, 1988
R.C.JOHNSON                  at 00:40 CDT
 
 I would also like a printer driver for the MPS-803.  Does a printer driver
exist for the 803?  Any help would be appreciated.
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Category 22,  Topic 13
Message 3         Fri Apr 15, 1988
JBEE                         at 22:40 EDT
 
The 801 driver should work with these printers... 1525 801 803 MPS 1000
(printed sideways ...1525 mode) and probably others too!
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Category 22,  Topic 13
Message 4         Sun Jan 01, 1989
SHOOTING.BUM [SHOOTING.BUM]  at 19:43 PST
 
Does anyone know of a driver that will work for the Star SG-10 Printer. I have
tried the Gemini 10X driver and while it will allow for printing the print
size is either to large or to small for  normal page width.  Appreciate some
help on this. Thanks. Also have E-maild  question.
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Category 22,  Topic 13
Message 5         Tue Jan 03, 1989
LRWALLACE                    at 12:16 EST
 
I have recently found a PD Basic 8 driver for the STAR SG-10, but have no way
of testing it.  I will upload it today to the library, and you can try  it
out.  
  Please let us know how it works!
                      Lou
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Topic 15        Sat Dec 03, 1988
E.BENDER                     at 13:40 EST
Sub: Basic Paint                            

Draw Grid


2 message(s) total.
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Category 22,  Topic 15
Message 1         Sat Dec 03, 1988
E.BENDER                     at 13:42 EST
 
I have tried to find the GRID when using BPaint but it never appears. Is there
something I should do? Should I see the grid?
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Category 22,  Topic 15
Message 2         Mon Dec 05, 1988
LRWALLACE                    at 09:53 EST
 
SUBJECT: GRID MODE
  No, no visible grid should appear. Grid mode just forces the drawing
commands to always start and stop at the corners of the grid.  Very useful for
straight lines and such.  
                                   Lou
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