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ooO EDITORIAL Ooo
Well, here I am again, sitting here wondering what to write in
this little space of mine. I think, first, that I will wish you
all a very merry Christmas and a happy and computer-filled New
Year, as this is the last issue before Christmas.
I hope that I will be able to give some of you season's greeting
personally at the All Formats Fair, in London on the 14th
December, but for those who can't attend, this is the best I can
do.
Brian and myself would also like to thank all the contributors
to the mag over the past 12 months, it seems to be going from
strength to strength.
This issue is, as usual, very packed and short of disc space, so
I'll just clear up a couple of points raised by issue 14, and
then say goodbye.
Ian Spencer wants it to be known that he only sent in Sam
Monitor, and that it was written by Slawek Grodkowski.
The other point is that "GERMAN TUTOR" by P.Skinner will only
work in 512k. I'm sorry for any inconvenience caused, but I
wasn't given the full facts.
Right, as promised, I'm off now to start on issue 16.
See you in that one,
Dave
________________________________________________________________
Mr S.J. Monk.
31 Southbourne,
Washford Farm,
ASHFORD,
KENT TN23 2UB.
Date: 23/10/91 0233 626085
Dear Members
If you are wondering how you can increase the
number of SAM owners and increase the circulation of the SAM
Supplement then read on, This letter is based on a true story, I
know I was that man !.
About a month ago one of my friends at work asked my advice on
what computer to buy his children for Christmas, I told him he
could do far worse than to buy them a SAM , after a few days
thought I realised that there must be more people wondering
which computer to buy for Christmas and so the SAM DEMO EVENING
was born.
So a couple of weeks before the event I put a few small posters
around my work place, and on the night I trotted off with Sam
under my arm ready to do battle, expecting a handful of people
ready to rip me and Sam apart.
Well you can imagine my suprise and delight to see about 30
people there and all were just waiting to see what this machine
can do.
The age range was from 12 to 60 years old and full of enthusiasm
I started by showing a few graphic demo's like frog on a swing
etc and worked though serious applications, Education and
finally Games.
The people in attendance were to put it mildly GOB SMACKED !
from the games playing youngsters who were the day before Amiga
fans to the older generation who used to think computer was a
dirty word, all I could here was 'Look at the graphics and the
speed of it'. I think that all those who came to the demo
looking to buy a computer will be Samsters very soon.
There was no selling no arm twisting theres no need , once
people have seen the SAM 512 in action it sells its self with no
trouble.
So if you want to see SAM a more widely used computer then get
out there and show your mates, friends anybody that will watch
its well and truly worthwhile, and If you take up Samco's offer
of being an agent as mentioned on the Sam coupe hotline week
comencing 21st October , Which for those who don't phone the
line the offer is £20.00 to you for every Sam orderd from Samco
on an order form that they will supply with a code allocated to
you so that they know youv'e sold it . you can earn yourself a
few bob into the bargin. Phone Samco for full details , well go
on then phone em !.
The word soon spread around my work place and the next week more
people showed an interest and so Iv'e arranged another demo for
November 16th .
Lets get SAM 512 well and truly established this Christmas.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Mem. No.17. Fred Hindle
7 Clough Road
NELSON
Lancashire
BB9 0PE
Tel: 0282 614359
Dear Dave & Brian,
having just received my Issue 14, and read
Keith Pirie's excellent poetic effort; and the trials and
tribulations that must go with the production of our excellent
Supplement. I felt that to keep our two workhorses free from
the effects of a possible attack from the 'Printers Devil'; a
little booster might not go amiss. So although I cannot claim to
have the poetic skill of Keith, here is something I learnt from
my dim and distant past.
Somebody said that it couldn't be done;
but he with a chuckle replied.
Well, maybe it couldn't; but he would be one
who wouldn't say so till he tried.
Somebody said, Oh you'll never do that;
at least no one has ere done it.
But he took off his hat, and he took off his coat;
and the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a bit of a grin, and a tilt of his chin;
without any doubting or quit it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
that couldn't be done; and he did it.
There are thousands who'll tell you it cannot be done.
There are thousands who'll prophesy failure.
There are thousands who'll tell you, one by one
of the dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin;
take of your coat and go to it.
Start to sing as you tackle the thing,
that couldn't be done, and you'll do it.
----------------------------------------------------------------
MEMBER 215
11th November,1991.
Dear Dave,
This is the first time I have written to you and I hope
to continuley write. My system is a 512K SAM,SAMBUS(WITH NOTHING
IN IT!!),A MOUSE INTERFACE WITH A GENIUS MOUSE, THE CLUB'S
AMPLIFIER, and a SONY TCM 818
I just wan't to say how good the all formats fairs are to any
members that haven't been, I picked up the Sambus for 45 pounds
5x10 capacity disk boxs for a pound, a Competitiion Pro
joystickment) for 5 pounds ans Prince of Persia for 13 pounds.
Anyway I was writing to ask you if theirs a poke to
display the time and date on the sambus while using the Sam
normally. If there is a way please could you put it in the ED's
Notes. I'm going to buy all SAM.Sups's as long as I live!!!
YOURS SINCERELY,
IAN.J.DEELEY AGE 11.
P.S IF ANYONE IN MY AREA IS A MEMBER OF SAM SUPPLEMENT
PLEASE COULD THEY CONTACT ME TO HELP ME WITH PROGRAMMING ON
SAMBASIC.
P.P.S MY ADDRESS IS :198 FRANKLIN RD,KINGS NORTON,B'HAM,B30
2HE.AND MY TEL.NO IS 021 458 5641.
Eds Note...
Thanks for the letter Ian, I'm glad you like to All
Formats Show, you can pick up some bargains at these shows if
you look around.
Off hand I don't know of any easy way to display the time all
the time, although you can do it from within a BASIC program by
repeatedly printing TIME$. This of course stops if you break
the program. Perhaps some other member has worked this one out.
________________________________________________________________
Dear Dave,
Having been involved with SUPPLEMENT throughout its life, now
that its first birthday has passed, I thought it appropriate to
review what it has achieved.
The first, and very obvious achievement, is that SUPPLEMENT
has provided a medium for stimulation and encouragement of
ideas, an opportunity which is being eagerly grasped by an
increasing number of members. In particular, it has provided a
'stage' upon which members have been able to put on display the
products of their ingenuity and resourcefulness, and in this
connection it has been edifying to note the generally
constructive criticism which has been forthcoming. Recall, for
example, how SAMCRATCH has been developed.
What about the content of SUPPLEMENT? We have discussed this
occasionally, and also your plea that you are 'only the editor',
and dependent entirely upon the membership for contributions,
but I will have more to say about this aspect later. Judging
from the contributions published in the 14 Issues to date, and
from the recent correspondence on this subject, it appears to me
that most, if not all, members can be put into one of three
distinct classes. There is the 'user' type, anxious to make full
use of the machine, whether it be for games play or for
domestic/personal use, e.g. for word processing or maintaining
databases. Then there is the 'programmer', who is keen to
develope his skills at communicating with the machine so as to
provide means of achieving prescribed objectives, and display
his ability by providing programmes for use of the 'users'.
There is quite a gap between these two types, and I, for one, do
not fit comfortably into either of them.
It is difficult precisely to define the third class, but I
have experienced a wish - and suspected it in others - to
develope particular aspects of programming skill without
necessarily 'going the whole hog' by aiming at an 'all-singing,
all-dancing' production. I suspect there to be a considerable
proportion of the members in this category.
I now return to your 'only the editor' cry. With repect, you
do yourself less than justice. I consider that you have shown a
keen appreciation of the needs of this third category of member.
This belief is supported typically by your own contribution to
Issue 14 in the article on animation. I consider this article to
be first-rate. It is presented in a very 'user-friendly' style,
and is an encouragement to have a go oneself at producing a
simple animation, and having something to show for the effort.
Congratulations, I look forward to the developement of this
theme, although I suspect it will be some time before you will
face much competition in the provision of opening screens for
SUPLEMENT (all,of which have been good, and one or two of them
very novel indeed). You might like to consider a competition for
simple animations, restricted in some way, perhaps to 300K
content?
I cannot close without reference to the very valuable spin-off
of membership, which has been the opportunity to broaden one's
circle of friends, many of whom will, unfortunately, only ever
be a voice on the 'phone, but very welcome nonetheless.
Finally, let me take this opportunity to join with Brian and
yourself in extending the compliments of the season to all our
members.
Les Phillips. (The White House, St. Catherine's Well, Milton
Abbas, Blandford, Dorset. DT11 OAS).
________________________________________________________________
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