Top 10k strings from Alchemist News - Issue 32 (1999)(Alchemist Research).tap in <root> / bin / z80 / software / Sinclair Spectrum Collection TOSEC.exe / Sinclair ZX Spectrum - Magazines / Sinclair ZX Spectrum - Magazines - [TAP] (TOSEC-v2007-01-01) /
Back to the directory listing
3 EGBBGEEEBBB 2 J7:A?>A??>>BC 1 | INDEX (1/3) AN32.1 : This index & editorial. AN32.2 : NEWS. Not a lot but luckily NO closures this time round. AN32.3 : A BLUFFERS GUIDE TO COMPUTING. It got me where I am today! AN32.4 : EMULATORS. A comprehensive of all the Spectrum emulators around at the moment for all platforms. AN32.5 : HISTORICALL. Nick Cheesman looks at what we've left behind. AN32.6 : THE ISDA. The Retro police are here, killing the games scene and pissing everybody off. AN32.7 : HISTORICALL 2. More old computers. 1 s been said,that none whose gone inside returned tohome. Elder legends said that in thehighest floor of the temple lives the goddess of sun. Your quest is to find your way through allrooms and reach the top of the temple. Inevery room there is one exit and sometimesmany mysteries to solve. you will only getinto the next room when both heroesreached the exit safely. Switches to useand elevators will help you. You will alsodiscover many other useful or dangerousthings. BEFORE STARTING In the main menu you can press: 1- to start game 2- to enter password for next level 3- to select one or two players 4- control for player one 1 s a +D SNAP shot just load in theprogram QUADRAX Tape users just type LOAD and play thetape STORY In the deep desert of Sahara stand themysterious Temple of Sun. It 1 no of parts 1 n()+-/024579;<>@ACEQ 1 n$m$n$m$n$m$n$m$n$m$ 1 mwCCCCBBAAaMH 1 mw>CFECFCEC?A> 1 mw>>CCFFEECCFFCCEECC>>==<<apHJKJKJ 1 mw<<??==>>apJKJNJQ 1 mCCEECCAAA?>>aMOMOMK 1 m>>AA>><<apKJKJHJ 1 m$n$m$n$m$n$m$n$m$n$m$n$m$n$m$n$ 1 igo Ayo and DavidGoti (108,187 bytes) Emulates a Speccywith the added option to use 256 coloursin stead of 16! Games must be adjusted forthis. Such adjusted titles can be had fromthe Download page at the Spec256 home.[17/09/99] Sinbas version 1.1 by Radovan Garabik(187,327 bytes) Not strictly an emulator,but a Spectrum BASIC interpreter![17/01/98] PC / Russian : (All in Russian, all emulate the Russian Spectrum machines Pentagon and Scorpion and use the TR-DOS operating system) 1 i$="AN32": 1 f&&o//i+o+i)o)(( 1 ez (103,333 bytes) [24/03/99] CBSpeccy version 0.25b by Code Busters(167,705 bytes) It emulates a ZX-Spectrum128K and TR-DOS file system. [24/05/99] Macintosh MacSpectacle version 1.8.2 by GuenterWoigk (585,198 bytes) [30/09/97] Also usesZX Loader Since he does not have time toupdate this emulator anymore, he made fullsource code available for other people tohave a go. [21/12/98] PowerSpectrum version 1.0 by Bo Lindbergh(69,248 bytes) [30/09/97] Acorn RISC OS Z80Em version 1.2 (shareware) by WarmSilence Software (56,458 by 1 dq+&+&+&+&+&+&+&r+ 1 dq&+&+&+&+&+&+&+r& 1 d++++++)() 1 bCCCCBBAAMH 1 a-+)(()(&)(& 1 This code checks the main game, coming outwith a result in the E register. However,this value is never used, so you canignore this whole routine. Followingon..... FFA3 21 C0 5D LD HL,#5DC0 FFA6 01 30 75 LD BC,#7530 FFA9 CD D4 FF CALL #FFD4 FFAC 21 C0 5D LD HL,#5DC0 FFAF 01 30 75 LD BC,#7530 FFB2 CD DE FF CALL #FFDE FFB5 21 1C FA LD HL,#FA1C FFB8 11 1C FF LD DE,#FF1C FFBB 01 1D 9F LD BC,#9F1D FFBE ED B8 LDIR FFC0 21 10 A7 LD HL,#A710 FFC3 22 36 5C LD (#5C36),HL FFC6 01 10 DF LD BC,#DF10 FFC9 AF XOR A FFCA ED 42 SBC HL,BC FFCC 31 FF FF LD SP,FFFF FFCF ED 56 IM1 FFD1 C3 6F 00 JP #006F 1 So, instead of threatening softwarehouses, I dare people to contact them onan open basis and just ask them. Sure,it's getting exceedingly difficult to finda contact address for each copyrightholder since most of said software houseshave folded in the mean time, but there'sno reason to stop. So many ways have beenleft unused. We should join forces totrack them down and ask. Are people simply too frightened to talkto the copyright holders and is all thisstirring up just a smokescreen to hidebehind? I should hope not! Good facts Amstrad, the current owners of theSinclair ZX Spectrum, allow freedistribution of the ZX Spectrum ROMs.Therefore, emulation of the machine is notillegal (as op 1 SONG BY ST COMPILEJ 1 SONG BY ST COMPILE 1 NOTE- there is no longer a part zero. 1 COPYRIGHTED - NOT PUBLIC DOMAIN! 1 CCEECCAAA?>>MOMOMK 1 AN32.D 1 AN32.C 1 AN32.9 )& 1 AN32.8 1 AN32.7 u) 1 AN32.6 1 AN32.5 1 AN32.4 1 AN32.33 1 AN32.32 1 AN32.31 1 AN32.30 1 AN32.3 1 AN32.29 m 1 AN32.28 1 AN32.27 1 AN32.26 1 AN32.25 1 AN32.24 1 AN32.23 1 AN32.22 1 AN32.21 1 AN32.20 1 AN32.2 1 AN32.19 1 AN32.18 1 AN32.17 1 1 AN32.16 1 AN32.15 1 AN32.14 1 AN32.13 U1 1 AN32.12 9" 1 AN32.11 1 AN32.10 1 AN32.1 6* 1 ALCHNEWS32 1 >>AA>><<KJKJHJ 1 <<??==>>JKJNJQ 1 ;"[email protected] " 1 ;"LOADING INDEX": 1 ;" OUR EMAIL ADDRESS IS NOW:" 1 ;" LOADING PART ";CNT;" " 1 8000 D2 00 00 JP NC,#0000 This resets the computer if the previousheaderless block didn't load properly. 8003 3E 08 LD A,#08 8005 D3 FE OUT (#FE),A This makes the border black, and sends asignal to the cassette recorder. 8007 D9 EXX EXX is a "general exchange" instruction,and changes the registers B,C,D,E,H andLfor their alternate sets. 800E 0E 00 LD C,#00 800A D9 EXX 800B 26 00 LD H,#00 800D 06 80 LD B,#80 800F DD 21 1C 8C LD IX,#8C1C 8013 16 05 LD D,#05 8015 CD 41 83 CALL #8341 8018 D2 00 00 1 80.Finally, it was withdrawn from the market. This is a vital piece of home computermythology, symbolising the legendaryprice-cuts that reward the patient. It isalso a severe lesson in bad marketing. AsCommodore chronicler Mike Tomczyk says ofTI in his book 'The Home Computer Wars',"I figured that if a giant semi-conductorcompany that made its own chips chargedthat much money, they either didn't knowhow to control their manufacturing costsor were gouging profits at the consumer'sexpense." So, to summarise, what the pack isconveying to its victim is basically this:"You are a sucker. You bought somethingthat turned out to be a slightly lesssuccessful step in evolution than theNeanderthal 1 600 in theUK, went through a peculiar phase of beingsold for 1 5E68 3E 12 LD A,#12 5E6A 32 93 53 LD (#5E93),A 5E6D E1 POP HL 5E6E E5 PUSH HL 5E6F D1 POP DE 5E70 C9 RET Put a breakpoint at 5E70 and JP to 5E52.At 5E70, the value on the top of the stackis #5E76, so a RET will JP to there. 5E76 C1 POP BC 5E77 7E LD A,(HL) 5E78 ED 44 NEG 5E7A 77 LD (HL),A 5E7B 23 INC HL 5E7C 10 F9 DJNZ #5E77 This code is, as you might realise, adecrypter. The start value of HL is #5E12,and the initial value of B is #3A. In caseyou're interested, the NEG instructionturns the value in the A register into itsnegative form; in other words, the valuein A is subtra 1 499 + VAT. I thinkit's a fine computer, and I want one. Nowwhere did I throw that transputer card...? THE SINCLAIR PC200 FAX BOX 8Mhz 8086 16 bit processor 512K RAM Display adaptor running CGA (TV andmonitor) and MDA (monitor only) Built in TV modulator Standard RS232 and Centronics ports Built in power supply (hoo-ray!) 102 key AT style keyboard Single 3.5" 720K disk drive Expansion socket for additional drive Speaker with volume control (yay!) BIOS in ROM Socket for 8087 maths coprocessor Two full size IBM expansion slots Analog joystick port Dimensions: 45cm * 8.5cm * 33.5cm Weight: 5.4kg Monitors: S-12MM mono monitor, 12", 7kg, 30. 1 299 + VAT. With amono monitor, joystick, a software packagecalled Organiser and four games, it's 399+ VAT. Add a colour monitor instead of themono job, and it's 1 2000 A.Davis & Alch. Research 1 200, but you could get another50 back if you sent off a voucher, andended its days being sold for around 1 1000.(Did you know, by the way, that NTSCstands for Not The Same Colour twice?) Itspent a long time priced at 1 00000000`00 1 &&o&+i+((& 1 "Enter Part:";cnt: 1 ". There's a good reason for this,but I'll get onto that later. There areall the usual ports at the rear of themachine, RS232, Centronics printer, and anon/off switch (hoorah!), but interestinglyfor this class of computer, there's also amodulator socket for plugging into a TVset. Clean and simple lines, but a verypowerful machine. Alright let's whip itapart. THE DISPLAY There are two different types of display.Either the CGA or MDA. Although this willmean something to converted PC users, itmeans nothing to the likes of me.Apparently all this yibbling means thatCGA is the most popular graphics standardused by PC types. It's a 40 column * 25line or 80 column * 2 1 " * 1". The casenow became silver/grey, and contained ahinged door at the right top which wouldbe used for cartridge based software.(More about this later.) The keys werereplaced by a full size keyboard with 42solid plastic, soft touch keys, includinga full size space bar. (One drawback tothis keyboard is that the space bar seemsto be "dead" on the ends, and must be hitclose to the centre.) The sides nowcontained Atari standard joystick ports,which are supported by a new STICK commandin BASIC. The final noticeable change isthe addition of an on/off switch on theleft side of the computer. At first, Timex had planned on marketingtwo different versions - the 16K T/S 2016($149.95), and the 48K T/S 2048 ($199.95).Sound familiar? In the end, however, onlythe 48K model was released, dubbed theTimex/Sinclair 2068. Actually, it is inreality a 72K unit, containing a 24K ROM(16K + 8K bank switched to handle 1 SETUP PARAMS 1 LOAD PART 1 LOAD INDEX 1 CHOOSE PART 1 APR 2000 1 Work in TR-Dos from command line and from Basic. Igor Yudincev TR-Dos line commands use BASIC syntax(TR-Dos calls BASIC line editor) and arelike BASIC commands for work with tape.The common syntax: command <file> ,<file> <file> = "d:filename" <type> <attrs> d: - drive, "filename" - BASIC string (any 8 symbols) <type> - one of following types supportedby TR-Dos: <nothing> - Basic program; CODE - code 1 Historicall: The Sinclair ZX81 By Nick CHeesman In these days of fast Pentium PC's andGigabyte hard drives, it is easilyforgotten that the early days of the homecomputer produced machines considerablymore humble and yet they sparked atechnological revolution thereverberations of which are still allaround us today. And at the root of this tide of newtechnology was the Sinclair ZX81, at leastin the UK. There were other computersaround at the time but they were hideouslyexpensive and manufactured in the states.If computers were to be become trulysuccessful then they had to be madeavailable to the masses at an affordableprice and not require an encyclopaedicknowledge of t 1 Are Computer's becoming boring? Nick Cheesman Well, are they? It could of course just bemy age. I'm sure that for the youth oftoday, the computer scene is just asexciting as it was for me in the eighties.Or could it just be that having livedthrough the eighties which was undoubtablythe boom time for home computing, therejust isn't that much to get excited about. These days, the computer press isobssessed with the PC. The PC in theeighties was probably the most boring andcertainly the most expensive personalcomputer on the market. And yet here weare with whole wads of magazines fallingover themselves when reviewing new PC'sthat are exactly like the old PC exceptwith faster processors. And this isheadline news! But there seem 1 Zero Network - description -------------------------- ABOUT ===== This is little project for interconnectionof two spectrum via serial link. TECH DATA ========= Transfer speed is about 3kB/s. Netrealized via 3 wires connected like this: 1st comp 2nd comp -------- -------- PA7--------------------------PB7 PB7--------------------------PA7 GND--------------------------GND 1 SO YOU WANT TO BE A HACKER ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS So you want to learn how to hack? Well,you've come to the right place. But forall you complete novices a hacker isn'tsomeone who chops violently through theundergrowth, a flogger of overworkedhorses or someone with a dry, spasmodiccough. It is in fact someone who spendshis or her time hacking into computerprograms for fun. BUT WHAT IS HACKING? Hacking means altering a game so that itworks differently to the way theprogrammers first intended it to. Forinstance, you can alter a game so thatyour lives counter doesn't decrease whenyou die - leaving you with infinite livesto play with. Most games these days alsohave a prote 1 TR-DOS disk specs v1.0 - Max disk sides are 2 - Max logical tracks per side are 80 - Logical sectors per track are 16 - Sector dimension is 256 bytes - Root directory is 8 sectors long starting from track 0, sector 1 - Max root entries are 128 - Root entry dimension is 16 bytes - Logical sector 8 (9th physical) holds disc info - Logical sectors from 0 to 15 are unused - Files are *NOT* fragmented 1 Historical information Martyn Van Der Hilde A real user's response to the ISDA Retrogaming - emulating original arcademachines and later consoles and othergaming machines - has gained increasinginterest by fans. Since it constitutesinfringement of copyrights (to name thebasic level), retrogaming has long been anunderground operation. Partly so becauseit started with pirating software in thedays that these machines were active,resulting in the large stacks of softwareavailable in people's collections today.Ever since the machines themselves werephased out, as technology went onward,this software is slowly getting the statusof antique. Emulation in itself is nothing new; abrowse through 1 LATEST EMULATORS LIST Courtesy of WOS Z80 version 4.00 (shareware) by GertonLunter (1,073,457 bytes) This archivecontains versions for both DOS and Windows3.1/95/98/NT [16/03/99] JPP (no longer updated) by ArntGulbrandsen (270,043 bytes) [30/09/97] Warajevo ZX Spectrum Emulator version 2.51by Zeljko Juric and Samir Ribic (797,442bytes) This emulator can handle the TZXfile format! [21/12/98] X128 Soundblaster (167,714 bytes), or X128Adlib (163,215 bytes) version 0.92 byJames McKay You will need the ROMS(204,075 bytes) and DOS/4GW (144,016bytes) to run 1 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Nick Cheesman My son recently told me that I was adinosaur who should forget about the oldand obsolete Spectrum and move with thetimes. This got me thinking of all thecomputers which have come and gone andhave nobody to mourn their passing. Sohere is my list of computers which cameand went, often in the blink of an eye!Perhaps you can recall some of them,almost everyone will be able to think ofsome more: AQUARIUS (nobody's star sign) Sqidgy keys made a come back as did a tinymemory and appalling games. SORD M5 (couldn't cut it) Invaded from J 1 THE SINCLAIR PC200 The Missing Sinclair No, I couldn't believe it either, butafter thinking about it for a while, I'vecome to the conclusion that this newmachine is a good thing. It's good for theSinclair brand, taking it into thenineties with a wry grin on its monitor.It's good for the user, presenting him orher with a range of software unequalled byany other type of machine. And it'scertainly good for Amstrad (who bought theSinclair name in 1985), as it could makeit the biggest manufacturer and seller ofPCs in the world, and earn it acow-choking wad of cash to boot. Yep, AlanSugar is going to be positively surfing inmoney this time, if he isn't already. So why a PC? At the risk of sounding likeBarry Norman, why not? The world and hismum are buying PCs at the moment, so whyshouldn't the 1 More Old Computers Nick Cheesman Lynx This little known machine looks a littlelike a Commodore 64 with a full travelkeyboard and a Z80 processor. Memory asstandard was 48but could be expanded to192k presumably accessed by bankswitching. This was an advanced design forit's time and offered all the ports onewould expect of a newer machine includingaparallel port used for printers and diskdrives. The language supplied was BASICand sound was via an internal loudspeaker.Sold originally for 225 pounds but neverreally took off. Jupiter Ace 1 What is the IDSA? Formed in April 1994, the InteractiveDigital Software Association (IDSA) is theU.S. trade association exclusivelydedicated to serving the business andpublic affairs needs of companies thatpublish video and computer games for videogame consoles (such as Nintendo 64, SegaSaturn, and PlayStation), personalcomputers, and the Internet. Our memberscollectively account for more than 90percent of the $5.5 billion generated bythe entertainment software industry in theU.S. in 1998, and billions more in exportsales of U.S.-made entertainment software.The IDSA offers services to entertainmentsoftware publishers including a globalanti-piracy program, government relations,business and consumer research, and FirstAmendment and intellectual propertyprotection efforts. 1 Under Development Garry Lancaster It's now 13 years since the launch of theZ88, and it looks like being lucky forsome! There's a wealth of new software dueto be released this year; not even takinginto account the wonderful Lemmingsconversion which is already available. Here's some information to whet yourappetite... ZSock - The TCP/IP Stack Author: Dominic Morris Format: Application & Package Estimated release date: Beta available now Surely the most exciting project due forrelease this year is the eagerly-awaitedTCP/IP stack from Dominic Morris, nowknown as ZSock 1 I HATE BEING DEAD There is a bucket in the middle of the room. > Get bucket It's too heavy > Lift bucket Its to heavy > Kick bucket You kick the bucket... You are in a pitch black room > Inventory You have a Match and a Candle > Light Candle The candle lights first time. Briefly, in its warm glow, you see the word DYNAMITE written on the 1 SINCLAIR RIVALS Nick Cheesman Looking at a 1983 advert for the "SpectrumHome Computer Centres" <The company was inno way affiliated with the Spectrum orSinclair Research, it just had the name'Spectrum'. Ed.> I was impressed by the variety ofcomputers available and the "SPECTRUMFACTS" boxes. Ihave removed some of theblurb but most of the content has beenincluded. In their own words: "we want you to know that when you buyfrom a SPECTRUM dealer, you'll get exactlythe right Micro for your needs." The"Spectrum Home Computer Centres" were agroup of around 110 independent computershops advertising under the Spectrum name.They had no association with the ZXSpectrum or Si 1 MICRO BLUFFING Paul Bond ADMIT IT. You're not really a computerexpert. Okay, you know all about what's atthe heart of every computer - amicroprocessor, of course. You've probablyfigured out the oblique reply to thequestion "But what is a home computerfor?" (The correct oblique reply is "Whatis a piece of paper for?"). Maybe you even know enough not to get intoa situation you can't handle - like tryingto sing the praises of a CBM-64 to someonewho owns an IBM PC. But at the end of theday there are still those bits ofconversation when names are dropped orantique machines referred to that make youfeel like the man who hasn't been readingthe FT. No comment. As with jujitsu, skilled micro-bluffing isall about tu 1 ACROSS THE POND Mark Fendrick Welcome to the first of my reports fromthe United States. As you may know,Sinclair Research was distributed hereunder the Timex/Sinclair name.Unfortunately, in February 1984, Timexleft the home computer market, leavingthousands of us high and dry, withoutsupport. Following Timex's pull-out, themajor source of information for Sinclaircomputerists in the USA, Sync magazine,ceased publication. An American history of Sinclair computersis in order here. The original Sinclair entry is familiar toyou, the ZX-80. Sold only by mail-orderthrough Sinclair Research Ltd., U.S.A., itdid not make a big splash, but was truly awonder for those who were handy with asoldering iron 1 ACROSS THE POND Mark Fendrick Since this is a column in a Britishmagazine, written by an American authorabout an American computer with Britishroots (follow that?), it is only properthat we devote this column to a comparisonof the ZX Spectrum, and the Americanversion known as the Timex/Sinclair 2068. Quicksilva (who have an office here inTexas), and Melbourne House have madeSpectrum software available already, andRichard Shepherd Software (who havesupplied me with many excellent titles forreview in my U.S. column) should followsoon. There seems to be hope for us yet! While Timex's modem was finally releasedby the third party manufacturer who was toproduce it for Timex, the biggestdisappointment has been the lack ofmicrodrives. 1 TRADING POST ************** Please enclose a SAE with your enquiry toall services. If purchasing from a privateindividual, make confirmation the articleis still for sale and try not to send cashunless a premium delivery service is used. If your group isn't listed, please get intouch and we'll add your details. * * * * * BILL RICHARDSON AND CO. (EEC) 6 Ravensmead CHALFONT ST PETER SL9 0NB (Hardware: QL, Z88, Microdrives) CRASHED Dave Fountain 11 Camel Road 1 What If... Nick Cheesman Looking back at the history of Sinclaircomputers begs so many questions aboutwhat might have happpened if a certaincourse had been taken other than the onechosen. As an example, consider the humbleSpectrum. The ZX81 had been a wonderfulsuccess and the early Spectrum seemed tobe continuing the trend. The Spectrum+ waslaunched with a better keyboard and areset switch and everyone seemed happy.Then came the 128. This was amajor upgradeyet it retained many of the old problems.I personally liked the machine andrevelled in the new BASIC editor and soundchip yet it could have been so muchbetter. The Spectrum could use microdrivesso why not build them into it. The QL case(or a version of it) could have housed thedrives and Interface One could surely havebeen put on to the same motherboard. It isonly a small s 1 My Top Ten Nick Cheesman Scrabble One of the better implementations designedby Psion for Sinclair in the early days ofthe Spectrum. Characterised by a simpledisplay and mean gameplay, it knocks thesocks off of the PC version. Sherlock The sequel to the Hobbit by MelbourneHouse. Graphics are not as good as it'sforebear but the plot and gameplay is justas fiendish. The atmosphere it evokes iscomparable to anything Sir Arthur ConanDoyle wrote although the input interpretercan be a little limiting. Robin of Sherlock 1 Historicall The Sinclair Spectrum By Nick Cheesman The year 1982 saw the launch of the ZX82known to you and me as the ZX Spectrum(three cheers!!) and suddenly the ZX81 wasobsolete overnight. The Spectrum couldmake sounds, had more memory and coulddraw graphics in COLOUR!! The ROM wasboosted to 16k (still containing someobsolete ZX81 code) with a choice ofeither a 16k or 48k memory options with41k available to the BASIC programmer onthe 48k model (more than on the Commodore64 contrary to the advertising of thetime). Third party suppliers started supplyingchip sets for around thirty pounds thatcould be plugged in to the spare socketson the motherboard of the 16k model toboost it to 48 1 HOW TO HACK The penultimate part The LD HL,#0000 instruction is important,because it's the instruction we overwrotewith out JP back to the hack. Therefore,we've got to execute it, otherwise theloading system may crash. Then it resumesloading at #5B35 with the POKEs firmly inplace. CCB2 3E B6 LD A,#B6 CCB4 32 5F AB LD (#AB5F),A CCB7 C3 BC F5 JP #F5BC This is the hacking routine which will becopied into the loading system. AB5F,B6 isthe POKE for infinite lives (which can beworked out by a forwards or a backwardstrace), and JP #F5BC jumps to the game. And that's about it for Bleepload!Hopefully, if 1 DESERT RATS PUBLISHER Cases Computer Systems AUTHOR(S) R.T. Smith YEAR 1985 CATALOGUE NUMBER CATEGORY Strategy DESCRIPTIION Desert Rats is a war game. CONTROLS Self explanatory (menu driven - the 1stletter of each word in the menu selectsthat command). 1 CREDITS This has been completely revised now, withjust the names of people who have helpedwith this issue alone. It is very sad thatmany old names have gone on to otherthings and left the Spectrum behind. Compiler: Andy Davis Bsc Original Programming: Dominic Morris 128K Music: Zer0 Agent-X Chris Taylor United Minds Dave Fountain Technium 220 Ray Smith Z88 Support: 1 QUADRAX Review by Mick Harrop Here is a game I got given me from Ibelieve Russia. Its a puzzle type game butis very addictive I spent weeks playing itbut did not get far. Here are the instructions has most of thescreen is not in English enjoy. QUADRAX Loading Instructions It 1 NEWS Alchemist has moved Most of you who have been in touch with mewill know that I've moved. I'm now livingin Leigh, which is a small town betweenLiverpool and Manchester. I'm not givingthe address just yet because I'm in theprocess of buying a much larger house thanthe one I'm currently in, but there shouldbe details in the next issue. In the meantime, keep writing to the TitheBarn Lane address, the post is beingredirected to me. Why the move? Well, I finally got out ofthe insecure engineering industry and backinto computing. I did a stint working forTIME COMPUTERS in Burnley from November1999 to February 2000, when I got a job asIT MANAGER for a large stationery andoffice supply 1 FILL By Ian Collier FILL.BIN - a fast and flexible Spectrumprogram to draw filled shapes. The file FILL.BIN is a 3294-byte CODE file(supplied as raw data with no header). Itmay be loaded in at any address, whichwill be written "fill", as in: LOAD "FILL.BIN" CODE fill To try out the program, try this: 10 PRINT USR fill 20 CIRCLE 128,88,50 30 CONTINUE A filled circle should appear on thescreen. A typical use of the fill program lookslike this: 1