@database BenSpeaks @author "Ben Vost" @$VER: 1.5 (29.08.97 - AFCD20) @node MAIN "Welcome to AFCD20" @{b}AFCD20 December 97@{ub} Isn't it weird? We're on AFCD20 already! I remember when I first started on Format and I took over the production of the CD on AFCD4. Back then, it all seemed so exciting - putting together more than 600MB of material every month. Of course, I soon tired of that game, but I think that the CD has continued to improve, thanks to those hard working guys at E.M.Computergraphic. I still get in AFCDSurveys (usually a couple a day) and they show me that you now think that it's easier than ever to find stuff on our CD, although the argument about MWB/NI still rages on (at the moment, it's still about 60:40 in Magic Workbench's favour, but there are a growing number of people who couldn't give a stuff). We've had all sorts of suggestions on what to put on from you, and most of the time we will try to fulfill your desires as quickly as possible. You asked for NetBSD - you got it (OK, not too successfully on the first attempt). You asked for Blitz Basic material - you got it. Now tell us what else you'd like to see for the next twenty CDs. I'll be writing a new AFCDSurvey soon to replace the one that's currently on there, with more up-to-date questions that will help us to make the CD even better for you. Because we don't ask for your name and address you don't have to fear that you'll go into some cyclopean database somewhere where we can dole your names out to all and sundry, all you'll be doing is helping us to make things better for you. This month's CD sees the debut of our AFCDPrefs system. This has been custom programmed for us by the lovely Oliver Roberts who deserves everyone's praise and more. Hopefully this tool will help you get even more out of our CD. You will be able to set up exactly the tools you wish to use for viewing pictures and animations, reading AmigaGuide files and more. In conjunction with Oliver's AFCDFind program this must surely make the Amiga Format CDs the best in the world! @{"Ben" link "thought" 0} @{b}HEY!!!! READ THE SUBMISSION ADVICE! THEN YOUR STUFF MIGHT GET ON THE CD!!!@{ub} PS. OK, you've stopped sending us your modules, but still more than half of your submissions are @{b}not@{ub} getting onto the AFCD. If you don't know why yours hasn't appeared then maybe you should check out the @{"submissions advice page" link "sadvice" 0}. @endnode @node thought "Thought for the month" @{b}Amiga Inc gets up steam@{ub} Amiga people have to be the most patient in the world. Those who are still with us have had to endure three and a half years of broken promises, bankruptcy and the mass exodus of every major software publisher in the world. But the outlook is good. Definitely. Gateway have been keeping quiet, but in a way that's a good thing. They haven't been blustering about how they are going to do this or that with the Amiga. They haven't said that they are going to buy out Microsoft with the proceeds of the Amiga's first year profits with them. What they have said, albeit in a muted and unofficial fashion, is that they @{b}are@{ub} employing new staff to work on R&D, they are working on a new version of the operating system (WB3.5 to use KS3.1 and to be out in around six months, WB 4.0 in about a years' time) and they @{b}are@{ub} doing deals with people like Epson to promote the Amiga with their products - shipping drivers for printers and scanners with the machine, etc. I really do firmly believe that the Amiga has a good future and that it's cow-shaped. @endnode @node sadvice "Submissions advice" @node MAIN "Submissions advice" @{b}HOW TO SEND US YOUR SUBMISSIONS ===============================@{ub} @{b}IMPORTANT! We can no longer accept your music modules as submissions for the Amiga Format CD owing to copyright problems with sound samples from copyrighted sources. Thanks for all your music submissions up till now, but please don't send any more...@{ub} We want you to send us your programs, animations, pictures, game tips and cheats, hacks, hardware projects, basically anything you can think of that you have done with your Amiga. It must be your own work - no passing off Chris Achilleos' greatest masterpieces as your own, and we need a variety of things from you in addition to your submission and we need them on your disk. @{b}1.@{ub} We need your name and address so that we know where to send your prize. You should also put your name and address on labels on your media. @{b}2.@{ub} We need two @{"read me" link "readme" 0} files accompanying your work; one for us and one to go on the CD itself (title them @{b}AF_ReadMe@{ub} and @{b}ReadMe@{ub}). These can be as in-depth as you want them to be, but should contain instructions for us on getting your work running if it is a complicated procedure, including things like necessary libraries and so on. The readme that will go on the CD will be the introduction of your work to the whole Amiga Format reading world so check your spelling and grammar and show people just what is so good about your work. @{b}3.@{ub} If your work requires files such as libraries which you cannot send us owing to copyright reasons make sure we know about them so that we can either arrange to put them on the CD, or warn our readers about them (you will probably do this in your CD read me). @{b}4.@{ub} Be aware that we won't be as interested in programs that need to boot or that require to be in a certain place on the CD, unless, of course, that place happens to be in your directory on the CD. Your directory will almost certainly have the path: @{b}"AFCDx:-ReaderStuff-/your_name/"@{ub} but then no-one will be able to run your program except from the CD, limiting its usefulness or appeal. If we do put something on the CD that needs to autoboot, it will almost certainly only be as a DMS that readers will have to extract to disk before they can use it. @{b}5.@{ub} Lastly, your submission @{b}must@{ub} include the following text within your AF_ReadMe file, otherwise your submission will @{b}not@{ub} go on the CD: @{fg highlight}In respect of all material which forms my reader contribution to Future Publishing's Amiga Format I hereby warrant that:- (1) the material is original and does not infringe any other material or rights; (2) the material does not contain any material which is defamatory, obscene or indecent and is exempt from classification under the Video Recordings Act 1984; (3) that there are no legal claims against the material provided; (4) that I have full power and authority to provide this material to Future Publishing.@{fg text} (There is a version of this text as a file in the -Look_here_1st!- drawer on the CD.) You can send us your work on pretty much any sort of media whether it be floppy disks (high or double density, but don't send us work on high density disks unless you yourself have a high density drive. High density disks used in a double density drive aren't as reliable as using double density disks), a floppy disk back up using AmiBack, Quarterback or any of the shareware backup tools, Zip disk, Jaz cartridge, SyQuest 44MB, 88MB or 105MB or EZ Drive, DAT tape backup from any of the above-mentioned programs (the only thing we're not very keen on is the Video Backup System that Power Computing sell in the UK, we've had nothing but trouble with it), FTP upload to @{b}ftp2.futurenet.co.uk@{ub}, (you'll only be able to put your file in the incoming directory, you won't be able to see it once you have finished uploading, but don't worry, it'll be there. Make sure that you name your file with AF at the start so that we know it's for us) basically anything apart from a listing on paper. We don't want to have to type in your program too! We will return any media more expensive than high density floppies via registered post, so you won't have to worry about losing seventy quid's worth of Jaz cartridge. Send your submissions to: @{b}CD submissions Amiga Format 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2BW@{ub} @endnode @node readme "How to make a Read me file" If you are unsure about how to make a readme file it really is very simple. If you have a word processor of some description (Wordworth, Final Writer or the like) you can create one in that - you must just make sure that you save the text as ASCII text; there will be an option in the Save As... requester or program preferences. If you don't have a word processor, but you have a text editor for a programming language or for some other reason - we put Gold Ed on our CD every time the authors release a new version, you can use that, in fact, it would be ideal for the purpose. If you don't have a third party text editor, you have two provided by Commodore with your Amiga. In the tools drawer you should find MEmacs, but just opening a shell window will get you to ed. To edit a new file in ed, type the following line at the shell prompt: @{fg highlight}ed ram:AF_Readme@{fg text} This will create a new text file in RAM: called, yes, you guessed it, AF_Readme. It won't have an icon, but don't worry about that, we can always add one for you, just make sure you put it in with your submission. @endnode