-------------- 3]READERS' FORUM 1]-------------- THE CREATIVE HEART I am a surgeon and research scientist and have used Apple and IBM systems fairly extensively in the past, especially for word processing, records and statistics (and recreation at the end of the day). After a long hard look at the systems available, I chose the Amiga for my own personal computer. I have absolutely no regrets. The other systems were much more tedious to use by comparison and therefore less productive. It has been my pleasure to see a number of people to whom I have shown my system go out and purchase their own. But the greatest thrill comes from watching a self- pronounced computer illiterate whom I married, pouring out her creative heart into the machine. JUMPDISK makes it all the more valuable to me. Thanks for all your creative efforts. BRIAN LOGGIE, M.D., Chicago, IL DIRE NEED I am in dire need of one program. I've read about it in JUMPDISK and other publications. It's called SPEEDY3 and is used to enhance the IBM emulation mode of the Amiga. I can't afford to buy the Sidecar and I understand that SPEEDY3 makes the world of difference in execution speed of the emulator. ROBERT C. POLKIEWICZ, West Point, NY 3] See the October 1987 issue for SPEEDY3 and Norman Campbell's article 3]about how to make it run. And see this issue for Suzanne Mitchell's article 3]on formatting additional sectors for IBM-compatible disks. -- EDITOR 1]UPGRADE WORTH IT I had a Commodore 128 before. I am quite happy that I upgraded to the Amiga 1000 computer. What a difference! MELVIN I. COHEN, Bronx, NY THE RUMOR Have you heard the rumor? The secret code in the IBM operating system 2 is actually Amiga compatible right down to the noise of the disk drives and screen flicker on hi-res. JIM AUDET, N. Hollywood, CA 3] Just kidding, aren't you, Jim . . . Jim? -- EDITOR 1]ANOTHER YEAR It's a pleasure for me to renew for another year. JUMPDISK is the best bargain I know of in the computer world! My very best wishes for your continued success. ALVAN C. SHERRILL, JR., San Antonio, TX HELP WITH PD Perhaps now that JUMPDISK has taken such a good stand with the PD disks, maybe with the help of the readership, we can figure out how to use some of the great utilities, and games that these disks contain. Concerning JUMPDISK, what can I say? Keep up the great job that you're doing. KELLY TUVELL, Brooksville, FL CONSISTENTLY SATISFYING Of all the Amiga related magazines and PD disks I've purchased, JUMPDISK is the one candidate that has been consistently satisfying. You are doing an innovative and credible job in the format of a "new" media. My faith in your durability. JOHN W. O'BOYLE, Greenbelt, MD 3] Thank you. Sometimes we take heat for printing laudatory letters like 3]yours. "Self-serving," we've been called, and it's true. We figure it's 3]morally permissable as long as we continue to run letters of criticism. -- 3]EDITOR SAMPLER AT 75 I just received your JUMPDISK SAMPLER. To put it mildly, I am impressed with the volume of information you have packed in that neat little 3 1/2 inch package. I am 75 and don't get around too well, so am dependant pretty much on learning about computers via the mail. I have learned more from the SAMPLER than the "experts" I've consulted have been able to impart to me. I feel it's going to be an economical aid to my education. FRANK J. MILLER, Los Altos, CA SUGGESTIONS I would like to congratulate you on the excellent work you perform on this "magazine." Keep it going the way it is and don't be influenced too much by the bad comments you obviously receive. Naturally I also have some wishes: Instead of rehashing things you can read in many other publications about CLI and Basic, it would be very helpful to expand on Amiga-specific items, like: 1. What to do to bring up a particular application whenever you insert its disk after Kickstart. I just get tired of always needing to go through some mouse clicking and Icon selection when I want my word-processor to be ready for writing. I know it has to do with the Startup-Sequence in the s-directory, but how exactly? 2. I read your comment about your reluctance to allow moving certain programs to other disks and I appreciate your reasoning. However, it would be real nice to have a game disk where I could put on whatever I like. Unfortunately the nicest card games, like Solitaire, don't stand any transportation. Do you have any suggestions? Okay that's it from the other side of the pond. Keep jumping. KARL H. RIESEN, Oberrieden, Switzerland 3] By the numbers: 3] 1. See the October 1987 article on IGNITION, which tells how to change 3]the startup-sequence to open Amiga Basic and run a specific program. For 3]non-Basic programs, you could type the name of the program in place of the 3]line given as an example in the article: 3] In the CLI, type: ed s:startup-sequence (and press Return) When the startup-sequence file appears, delete the last two lines, which read: LoadWB endcli > nil: 3] As the new last line in this file, type the name of the program you 3]wish to run. That program should be on the copy of Workbench you are 3]changing. To make it work for an Amiga Basic prograM, THOUGH ONLY WITH AMIGA 3]Basic 1.2, type amigabasic programname (and do NOT press Return) 3] Press the ESC key and in answer to the asterisk prompt that appears at 3]southwest screen, type an x and press Return. This saves the new 3]startup-sequence and returns to the CLI. 3] In response to your second comment: We have changed to icon-clicking 3]for programs. We argued against it in last month's letter column but lost 3]out to more than 40 readers who immediately disagreed. 3] In regard to your question about Workbench Info, which we neither 3]printed nor answered: We are working on an article. -- EDITOR 1]PD 110 -- NOT A PEEP Amicus 10 (your PD110), the sound/mmusic demos: I cannot get a peep out of it. . . . We have seen examples to prove that your "10 programs every issue" rule is not a hard-and-fast one, so add my name to the list of those who would much prefer quality over quantity. . . . I have quite serious reservations concerning software export to Iran in the guise of "scientific journals." (EDITOR'S NOTE: This is in reference to a letter we printed from a reader in Iran.) I'd hate to see the loss of my favorite and right now only source of Amiga software, due to a probably innocent subscription otder. isn't the export of certain computer technology controlled by somebody-or-other? TOM "SKY" KING, Valdosta, GA 3] Again, in turn: 3] -- Amicus 10 (PD110) has pulldown menus. Take the mouse to the top bar, 3]depress the right mouse button and you'll find a menu with numerous 3]instruments in it. Select one, wait for it to load, then play the keyboard 3]like a piano. Play the bottom two rows of keys. Select another instrument. 3]The first instrument moves to the next two rows up and is supplanted on the 3]bottom two rows by the new choice. If this doesn't work, return the disk for 3]replacement. 3] -- We will always strive to improve the quality of JUMPDISK. Consider 3]this issue and some of the complex programs that are offered. On the other 3]hand, please consider that we're providing a packed disk every month at a 3]low price. Very low. Over the months we've published noteworthy original 3]material: data bases, a spreadsheet, superlative card games, educational 3]programs. And we've published little programs -- eye candy worth the study 3]of programming students. The 10-program guarantee gives us something to 3]shoot for every month. We strive to make every issue representative of the 3]spectrum of Amiga users: technical information, news, and a range of tools 3]and toys among the programs. 3] -- We never heard again from the reader in Iran. However, JUMPDISK is 3]for Amiga owners, wherever they live. We doubt there is any material on 3]JUMPDISK which could be considered sensitive. -- EDITOR END OF TEXT