Path: news.uh.edu!barrett From: mcox@access.digex.net (M D Cox) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews Subject: REVIEW: AMOS PD CD Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.programmer Date: 21 Sep 1994 18:55:13 GMT Organization: The Amiga Online Review Column - ed. Daniel Barrett Lines: 176 Sender: amiga-reviews@math.uh.edu (comp.sys.amiga.reviews moderator) Distribution: world Message-ID: <35pvih$4hg@masala.cc.uh.edu> Reply-To: mcox@access.digex.net (M D Cox) NNTP-Posting-Host: karazm.math.uh.edu Keywords: programming, CD-ROM, AMOS, BASIC, commercial Originator: barrett@karazm.math.uh.edu PRODUCT NAME AMOS PD CD BRIEF DESCRIPTION The AMOS PD CD is a complete archive of the AMOS PD Library disks. These disks were also called APD and contain files for use with AMOS, a BASIC-like programming language. AUTHOR/COMPANY INFORMATION Name: Weird Science Address: 1 Rowlandson Close Leicester Leicestershire LE4 2SE England DISTRIBUTION Main places to buy the CD-ROM as far as I know: USA: Northwest Public Domain PO BOX 1617 Auburn, WA 98071-1617 USA Phone: (206)351-9502 Email: nwpd@connected.com (John McNab) UK/Europe: Weird Science, as listed above LIST PRICE Suggested retail price is about $19.95 (US). SPECIAL HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS HARDWARE An Amiga equipped with a CD-ROM drive, such as the Commodore A570, CDTV, CD32 or any supported third party CD-ROM drive. No memory is recommended or required by the CD, but AMOS should have 1MB or more to work with. SOFTWARE AmigaDOS 1.3 or higher is required. Works fine with AmigaDOS 2.x and 3.0. Requires a suitable CD-ROM file system such as AsimCDFS, AmiCDFS, Babel CDFS, or Xetec CDFS. Parnet and Sernet can also be used to access the CD ROM drive via the parallel or serial port. AMOS is required if you want to view the source code and the special 'banks' that the programs use. You can use Easy AMOS, AMOS v1.36, and/or AMOS Professional v2.0. COPY PROTECTION None. MACHINES USED FOR TESTING Amiga 1200, 4 MB Fast RAM, 2 MB Chip RAM. 465 MB hard disk (120 MB internal, 345 XDS IDE external) Overdrive CD ROM Paravision 1230XA 50/50 accelerator C= 1084 monitor AmigaDOS 3.0 Amiga 500, 1 MB Chip RAM, 4 MB Fast RAM 46 MB TrumpCard 500 hard disk A570 C= 1084 monitor AmigaDOS 1.3 THE BASICS For those not familiar with AMOS, here is a brief introduction. AMOS, written by Francois Lionet and sold by Europress, is a BASIC-like language for the Amiga. It includes many special commands that let you take control of the Amiga's special capabilities. The best part is that it is very easy to learn and use. With one command, you can have a sprite or BOB flying across the screen. Unfortunately, official support for AMOS has stopped due to the demise of Commodore. There is a party of dedicated AMOS users, however, that are looking for the rights to obtain the source code and continue providing free PD upgrades. REVIEW The CD is organized into groups of directories that span the entire AMOS PD collection. Each APD disk is placed in its own subdirectory so that you can just copy the contents of a directory onto a bootable floppy disk and distribute it to your friends. Even the C, S, L, DEVS, etc. directories are there. INSTALLATION Simply place the CD into your CD-ROM drive. CONTENTS As mentioned earlier, the CD contains the entire AMOS PD Library collection (#1 - 620). The library is run by Len and Anne Tucker and is endorsed by Europress. There are over 33,000 files. There are 1600 AMOS source files, 100 sprite banks, 260 CTEXT/TURBO PLUS banks, 800 audio samples, oodles of music banks, and a few PD extensions for AMOS and AMOS Pro. Program categories are Eurodemos (Digital Orgasm), utilities (Adventure Toolkit), music (Maverick music disks), games (Super Battlezone), and many others. Also included are a few of the TOTALLY AMOS disk magazines, also run by Len and Anne Tucker. LIKES The best part of this CD is that it is so cheap and contains the entire AMOS PD library! If you use AMOS, this CD is a definite must. The source code is invaluable, and the banks are totally usable in your own programs (as long as you comply with the author's wishes, if any). DISLIKES AND SUGGESTIONS It would have been nice also to provide an LHA archive of each disk so it could be placed on a BBS and/or downloaded to the crappy MSDOS machines I have at work. COMPARISON TO OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS The AMOS PD CD is just like the Aminet CD, except that it is geared specifically toward AMOS users. Even non-AMOS users may find a few nice games, demos, and/or utilities that they like. CONCLUSIONS If you have AMOS, you MUST have this CD. It is the PERFECT excuse to tell your significant other that you need a CD ROM drive! Hey, it worked for me! COPYRIGHT NOTICE Copyright 1994 Michael David Cox. All rights reserved. --- Daniel Barrett, Moderator, comp.sys.amiga.reviews Send reviews to: amiga-reviews-submissions@math.uh.edu Request information: amiga-reviews-requests@math.uh.edu Moderator mail: amiga-reviews@math.uh.edu Anonymous ftp site: math.uh.edu, in /pub/Amiga/comp.sys.amiga.reviews