ZMAGAZINE WEEKLY ONLINE MAGAZINE Wednesday July 20, 1988 ISSUE #115 ========================== American Publishing Enterprises, Inc Post Office Box 74 Middlesex, New Jersey 08846-0074 PUBLISHER MANAGING EDITOR ZMag EDITOR SALES MANAGER Ron Kovacs R.F. Mariano John Deegan Gary Gorski ** CONTENTS ** <#> Publishers Desk........Ron Kovacs <#> Editors Desk......John Deegan <#> ZMag Survey Request <#> Antic Online Report <#> BBS System Profile (A.C.E.C.) <#> Message From The President <#> Your 8 Bit Comes Alive <#> Noise Killer Modification <#> Oasis BBS Update <#> Virus Update #2....Bill Pike ###################################### PUBLISHERS DESK Ron Kovacs ###################################### A few things to tell you about before we get into this weeks edition. As you may have noticed, we have changed the publishing date of this magazine. This has been done at the request of the editor. Future issues will become available after 9pm eastern time on the services. I have received a few letters over the past few weeks in reference to the Syndicate BBS being down. At the present time, I DO NOT plan on putting the BBS system back online. Due to obligations and my schedule, I cannot donate the time to a BBS system. We are however planning a return soon after summer. I will update this situation when warranted. PCPursuit users of the Newark area have been given a break. PCP has announced on the service BBS that they are going to continue service in the area. Good news! They are also adding more call nodes to New Jersey cities. Stay tuned for more details next week. ###################################### EDITORS DESK John Deegan ###################################### This week I have included a ZMag Survey. This survey is intended to poll the readers on future plans. Please take a few minutes and print it out and send it to the addresses listed. You can also leave email on the services. I would also like to ask everyone a question about the 8 bit computer they might be reading this issue on. How do you feel about it? Do you feel that it has a future life? Do you think there is going to be future software releases worth running? If you have a comment, I would love reading it and will include it here. Let your voice be heard!! ###################################### ZMAG SURVEY ###################################### 1) Service or BBS system you read, capture or download ZMagazine from. 2) If ZMagazine could be sent to your address in hard copy form, would you consider it? 3) Which form would you prefer Zmagazine sent to you if available? A) Disk B) Hard Copy 4) What changes would you like to see in ZMagazine? 5) Would you be interested in mailings if provided? 6) Please list any comments you have on Zmagazine past/present. 7) Do you read ST-Report Magazine also? Please reply by sending E-Mail to the following addresses on the services. CompuServe The Source GEnie Delphi 71777,2140 BDG793 ST-REPORT RONKOVACS R.KOVACS REXREADE or mail a post card to: ZMagazine Survey 720 Post Office Box 74 Middlesex, New Jersey 08846 ______________________________________ ANTIC ONLINE REPORT -------------------------------------- ANTIC PUBLISHING INC., COPYRIGHT 1988 REPRINTED BY PERMISSION. ISGUR REPORTS ON ATARI BY GREGG PEARLMAN, ANTIC ASSISTANT EDITOR The following information about Atari Corp. comes from May, 1988 report from Lee Isgur, first vice president of PaineWebber Inc., advisor to the Antic Publishing board of directors and author of the Isgur Portfolio: (#) Atari will introduce a 68030-based computer in the fall, as well as a laptop ST with a built-in hard drive. (#) In January, 1989, Atari will introduce -what will probably be the first 68000-based game machine.- It should retail at around $199. (#) Atari will double the $10 million it spent advertising video games last year. (#) Management is cautious about video games and expects the current excitement to wane, so Atari plans to undersell the market continually. Atari also will increase its emphasis on software, which is seen as less risky than hardware. (#) Because of the DRAM shortage, Atari is currently producing a few thousand PC clones a month, but later this year, the company will begin making the PC-5, an 80286 machine. (#) In addition to the 50 transputers currently in the hands of developers, Atari will have sent 200 more in June. The transputer should be available to the public before the end of the year. (#) Atari Corp.'s first quarter 1987 results confirm that the company has $68.5 million cash on hand and should earn well over $1 per share in 1988. The Federated retail division, which Atari didn't own during the first quarter of 1987, lost 16 cents a share. (#) Under Atari Corp., Federated's employees have fallen from 3,000 to 1,900 as six stores have been closed and several others have been reduced. (#) Demand for Atari products, mostly computers, exceeds supply by at least 50%, and that if DRAM shortages ease in the second half of 1988, so will comparative gross margin declines. (#) Video game sales this year should be twice last year's $80 million, with the Atari 7800 and XE Game System accounting for more than half of these sales. (#) Over 80% of Atari's computer sales, around $400 million to $500 million this year, are outside the United States. Management hopes for 50% of computer sales to come from the United States in 1990. (#) Atari will probably open a factory in the United States before the end of the year. ###################################### BBS PROFILE A.C.E.C. (614)-471-8559 ###################################### A.C.E.C. User Group BBS Serving the Columbus Atari community since 1984 Password [Return if new] > Searching... Welcome, ZMag Reader!! Caller number 38196 Last caller: Another ZMagazine reader!! On this day in...1767: John Quincy, statesman, born. 1804: Alexander Hamilton fatally wounded in a duel with Aaron Burr. 1937: George Gershwin, composer, died. [N]ew bulletins [L]ist bulletins [E]xit to BBS >Exit Sysop is: Out Checking for Mail No Mail is Waiting A.C.E.C. BBS command summary LOGoff Ctrl L Exit BBS CHAt Ctrl C Summon sysop FEEdback Ctrl Y Message to sysop FILe-Tran Ctrl F Up\downloads GAMe Ctrl G Online games CALlers -- Todays calls CHEat -- Atari game hints MSG Bases Ctrl W List bases SUB-Cmds Ctrl I BBS list, etc REAd Ctrl R Read messages SCAn Ctrl Q Scan messages POSt Ctrl P Send message EDIt Ctrl E Edit message KILl Ctrl K Delete msg SENd Ctrl S Send E-Mail OPEn Ctrl O Check E-Mail DATabases Ctrl D Enter database BULletins Ctrl B Bulletin(s) STAtus Ctrl T Display status USErs Ctrl U User listing MENu ? This file HELp / Detailed help ZMAg -- View Z-Mags by article ---- indicates that there is no macro for that command. Ctrl N - New Ctrl S - Pause a listing Ctrl A - All Ctrl X - Delete a line Ctrl N - Next message Note: Ctrl X, Ctrl X, Ctrl C, and Space bar will all abort a listing A. Eliza B. Decimal to hex C. Hex to decimal D. The Q&A game E. Maze Mania F. Widgets G. Puzzle H. Hang Man I. Jungle J. Inspector clewso K. Haunted House L. Emperor Caesar M. Monarch N. Kingdom O. Football P. Advent X-5 Q. Camels R. My Maze S. Star Trek T. Dealer's Choice U. Blackjack V. Wheel of fortune W. Kick Barry X. Werewolf Y. Trucker Z. Koala Loader *. Return to BBS Selection >Exit to BBS CHEatPlease wait..loading index file.. Game hints section Type ? for help menu, Q to quit (L,F,N,S,A,Q, or ?) >Help L. List all hints F. Find single hint N. List game names of hints S. List single hint A. Add new hint Q. Exit to BBS Game hints listing: KAZOO GHOSTBUSTERS DIMENSION X PITFALL CRYSTAL CASTLES SPELUNKER DONKEY KONG JUNIOR GHOST CHASER OLLIE'S FOLLIES PHAROAH'S CURSE MINER 2049'ER BLUE MAX CASTLE WOLFENSTEIN BALLBLASTER SPARE CHANGE THRESHOLD CANYON CLIMBER ENCOUNTER HARD HAT MACK JAGGI LINES CAVERNS OF MARS STRIP POKER SOFTPORN ADVENTURE DIAMON JIM PHAROAH'S PYRAMID PREPPIE II PYRAMID SPARE CHANGE SNOKIE LODE RUNNER BURIED BUCKS WILLIE NIGHT MISSION CAVERNS OF MARS ONE ON ONE ULTIMA II ULTIMA III TRANSYLVANIA MASK OF THE SUN ZORK I DEADLINE DECISION IN THE DESERT CODES POLE POSITION Spook House Weird Wanderer CONGO BONGO Enter name of game to list hint for >BLUE MAX BLUE MAX: you bomb your own hangar, the screen will go crazy and it seem you are flying in space. Hit any key to continue (L,F,N,S,A,Q, or ?) >Quit The latest Z-Mags have been received and converted to 40 columns. They are available in the database section (issues 112 & 113). Number to view, [Return] = exit > ZMAg (View by article section) Available Z-Magazines (^C=prompt): 00. Why two types of Z-Mags? 01. Issue #113 (latest issue) 02. Issue #112 03. Issue #111 04. Issue #110 05. Other issues Select issue, [Return] = exit >1 Z-Mag issue 113 00. Header issue #113 01. Table of Contents 02. Editor's Desk - Misc. 03. News/Comment: Newsroom problems 04. New Compuserve files for 8-bit 05. Z-Mag Archives survey reprint 06. Superdos review 07. Analog Changes commentary 08. Quickcode review Select article to view, [Return] = last menu >1 System Files Soft/Hardware reviews/tutorials A.C.E.C. User Group Information Z-Magazine, Teletalk magazines Hardware projects/mods (tech) Game walk-through/hints Miscellaneous files Hardware used to run this BBS General BBS information Some basic information on Carina Explanation of files subsystem File Description Sub-system Local auto-updated BBS listing Comprehensive help New user info (seen at log-in) Command listing for board module Command list for File-Transfer Introduction screen #1 Introduction screen #2 Introduction screen #3 Introduction screen #4 Introduction screen #5 Today's callers & their actions Alphabetised file listing Top ten callers, uploaders, etc National Atari BBS listing *** READ THIS *** A.C.E.C. Information Meeting Information & Schedule Information on Joining A.C.E.C. Fuji Facts -- PaperClip Review Fuji Facts -- Eighty Column Text Fuji Facts -- BASIC XL Review Fuji Facts -- Writer's Tool Review Fuji Facts -- Machine Language II Fuji Facts -- Machine Language III Fuji Facts -- Machine Language IV Fuji Facts -- Machine Language V Z-Magazine, Teletalk magazines Z-Magazines, issues 87-106 80 column Z-Mags, issues 109-110 Teletalk, issue #21 Soft drive D/L system Written 4-15-88 by Frank Seipel 1 drive available, D1: ? for menu D1:DIR AUTORUN SYS 0001 MENU 0009 HELP BAS 0002 COCKTAILMIC 0031 CASUALGTFNT 0005 KENO EXE 0098 HELPB BAS 0004 DOCB TXT 0012 CREATIONPC1 0088 STENCIL 0019 0156 FREE SECTORS D1:LOGoff Pandora (614)-471-9209 is unoccupied View BBS listing? No Over 450 download, almost 1oo file descriptions. Huge database system. Z-Mags offered in 40 columns, 80 columns, and view by article. Files from almost any part of the BBS can be downloaded with X-Modem, Y-Modem or CRC X-Modem protocol. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF ATARI %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% TO ATARI USER GROUPS AND ALL ATARI ENTHUSIASTS: I was disappointed to read the negative letters and articles regarding comments made by Neil Harris at the West Coast Computer Faire. We at Atari feel that our computers are the clear technological leaders in their classes. The XE/XL line is superior to the Commodore 64, and the ST series beats any '286 or 8088 MSDOS machine; it also beats the touted Macintosh (68000) machines, and even surpasses the Amiga in all areas except for internal sound. The educational, productivity, and entertainment software available for the Atari machines makes for an excellent combination which yields many uses. My family knows, as we use an 800XL, an XE Game Machine, and a 1040STf. Neil was only saying that the future will bring EVEN MORE POWERFUL computers which will be easier to use, and I am sure he is right. This statement is not meant to belittle today's models or users. While I am communicating with you, let me clear up a few things and also ask for your help. The DRAM shortage is still with us and it is inhibiting our distribution in the U.S. We hope this will get better in the 4th quarter of '88. In the meantime, we will CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ATARI COMPUTER presence in the U.S. We will advertise this fall to keep our presence in the U.S. I ask all of you is two things: first, please do not pirate software. Talk your friends out of it also. The software community is suffering and complaining, please police pirating so Atari software companies can thrive. The other favor I ask of you is to be the evangelists of the Atari world. Tell your friends, associates, teachers, etc., how great the XE/XL and ST are. LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THE ATARI MACHINES A STANDARD IN THE U.S. --- Sam Tramiel, President, Atari Corporation ###################################### YOUR 8-BIT COMES ALIVE Bill Pike PAC ###################################### review copy loaned by IB Computers Here is a old fashioned hackers program. The program retails for $24.95 (why couldn't they just say $25.00?) and comes with a disk of demonstration programs including a library of basic and machine language routines to implement the various sections. The handbook is published by Computer Spectrum Inc. These sections include: Basic electronics, from how to read resistor color codes, on to how to build power controllers and interfaces. How to build and use your own light pen. How electronic switches work and how to use them. What serial data is and how to use it in programming and interface it to the outside world, such as house lighting controllers etc. How to extend the frequency range of your 8-bit computer. How to make your computer into a music synthesizer. How to control a lighting display with an 8-bit, from Christmas tree lights to commercial displays. Other subjects discussed include 120v power controllers, data encoders, data decoders, event detectors and many others. The book is written on the High School Graduate level and assumes that you know how to solder and assemble breadboards. Most of the basic information on hardware is reviewed rather than instructed until you get down to the meat of the book. The book includes hardware construction as well as programming. I wouldn't recommend this for a child, but with help a highschooler should be able to handle it without much problem. If you want to see what hacking really was, in the early days of computing, rather than the piracy, phbreaking, and what hacking has since been equated with. This is the book for you. The book also teaches how to make a computer work in the real world not just how to get the highest score on PACMAN. I feel that in itself is enough to highly recommend the purchase of this program. ______________________________________ 8 BIT MODEM NOISE KILLER (MOD) ______________________________________ Captured from GEnie Services Uploaded by;Bryant SysOp; D.A.B.B.S. 312/690-3930 3/12/24 60+ Megs Modem Noise Killer (alpha version). With this circuit diagram, some basic tools including a soldering iron, and four or five components from Radio Shack, you should be able to cut the noise/garbage that appears on your computer's screen. I started this project out of frustration at using a US Robotics 2400 baud modem and getting a fare amount of junk when connecting at that speed. Knowing that capacitors make good noise filters, I threw this together. This is very easy to build, however conditions may be different due to modem type, amount of line noise, old or new switching equipment (Bell's equipment), and on and on. So it may not work as well for you in every case. If it does work, or if you've managed to tweek it to your computer/modem setup I'd like to hear from you. I'd also appreciate any of you electronic wizards out there wanting to offer any improvements. Let's make this work for everyone! Please read this entire message and see if you understand it before you begin. OK, what you'll need..... 1 Radio Shack #279-374 Modular line cord $4.95 ( You won't need one if your phone has a modular plug in its base.) 1 Radio Shack #279-420 Modular surface mount jack $4.50 (4 or 6 conductor) 1 Radio Shack #271-1720 5K Potentiometer $1.10 ( This is a 5k audio taper variable resistor.) 1 Radio Shack #272-1055 Capacitor. Any non-polarized 1.0 to 1.5 uf cap should do. Paper, Mylar, or metal film caps should be used, although #272-996 may work as well. (272-996 is a non-polarized electrolytic cap) $.80 1 100 ohm resistor - quarter or half watt. $.20 1 Radio Shack #279-357 Y-type or duplex modular connector. (Don't buy this until you've read the section on connecting the Noise Killer below. (A,B,or C) $4.95 First off, open the modular block. You normally just pry them open with a screwdriver. Inside you'll find up to 6 wires. Very carefully cut out all but the green and red wires. The ones you'll be removing should be black, yellow, white, and blue. These wires won't be needed and may be in the way. So cut them as close to where they enter the plug as possible. The other end of these wires have a spade lug connector that is screwed into the plastic. Unscrew and remove that end of the wires as well. Now, you should have two wires left. Green and red. Solder one end of the capacitor to the green wire. Solder the other end of the capacitor to the center lug of the potentiometer (there are three lugs on this critter). Solder one end of the resistor to the red wire. You may want to shorten the leads of the resistor first. Solder the other end of the resistor to either one of the remaining outside lugs of the potentiometer. Doesn't matter which. Now to wrap it up, make a hole in the lid of the mod block to stick the shaft of the potentiometer through. Don't make this hole dead center as the other parts may not fit into the body of the mod block if you do. See how things will fit in order to find where the hole will go. Well, now that you've got it built you'll need to test it. First twist the shaft on the potentiometer until it stops. You won't know which way to turn it until later. It doesn't matter which way now. You also need to determine where to plug the Noise Killer onto the telephone line. It can be done by one of several ways: A. If your modem has two modular plugs in back, connect the Noise Killer into one of them using a line cord. (a line cord is a straight cord that connects a phone to the wall outlet. Usually silver in color) B. If your phone is modular, you can unplug the cord from the back of it after you're on-line and plug the cord into the Noise Killer. C. You may have to buy a Y-type modular adaptor. Plug the adaptor into a wall outlet, plug the modem into one side and the Noise Killer into the other. Call a BBS that has known noise problems. After you've connected and garbage begins to appear, plug the Noise Killer into the phone line as described above. If you have turned the shaft on the potentiometer the wrong way you'll find out now. You may get a lot of garbage or even disconnected. If this happens, turn the shaft the other way until it stops and try again. If you don't notice much difference when you plug the Noise Killer in, that may be a good sign. Type in a few commands and look for garbage characters on the screen. If there still is, turn the shaft slowly until most of it is gone. If nothing seems to happen at all, turn the shaft slowly from one side to the other. You should get plenty of garbage or disconnected at some point. If you don't, reread this message to make sure you've connected it right. ###################################### OASIS BBS UPDATE ###################################### GLUE DEMO 6-12-88 By Z INNOVATORS Co. The following DEMO is of a new ONLINE, SysOp MODULE for OASIS IV BBS. The GLUE method of combining files is 100% compatible with the 8-bit and 16- bit version of LIBRARY.COM, written by Ralph Walden. GLUE is a more powerful .COM file, and a revised version of Ralph's LIBR.COM and DELIBR.COM. GLUE does no compaction, and is used mainly for combining and uncombing small files, quickly. For example, a SysOp could download a new module and it's small text file DOC, from his OASIS term mode, and UNGLUE it and test it online. .GLU files can be ARC'd and XARC'd and ALF CRUNCHED with no problems ungluing after they're extracted. This OASIS module program will be converted to run offline, and be released into the Public Domain. The P.D. offline version will have an added option to do: BATCH - ALF - CRUNCH The following sequence of commands were captured from a call FROM REMOTE to the Official OASIS Support BBS. The module, GLU.BBS was run online over the modem. [SysOp]->D [ DEL ] D7:UGH>*.* [SysOp]->B [ DIR ] D7:UGH>*.* Volume: NEWEST_7 Directory: UGH 18281 FREE SECTORS [SysOp]->W [Run/Display] [FileName?-->GLU |OASIS GLUE | |-----------| |Menu | |-----------| |[1]DirTAG | |[2]GLU View| |[3]Glue | |[4]Un-Glue | |[5]unused | |[6]BAT Name| |[7]Direct. | |[8]ARC View| |[9]Quit | |-----------| |Directory |D1:*.* |Batch Name |D1:GLUE.BAT |Output Name|D1:FILENAME.GLU |-----------| |->>8 DX:SUB>FILENAME.EXT D8:4>OSF>*.Q* Contents True ARC'd Method | NWUSR309.BBS 1393 1067 Alfcrnch NWUSR409.BBS 1393 1067 Alfcrnch NWUSR427.BBS 1393 1067 Alfcrnch NWUSRIV.BBS 1393 1059 Alfcrnch NEWUSERS.DOC 2168 1289 Alfcrnch [ Hit A Key ] |OASIS GLUE | |-----------| |Menu | |-----------| |[1]DirTAG | |[2]GLU View| |[3]Glue | |[4]Un-Glue | |[5]unused | |[6]BAT Name| |[7]Direct. | |[8]ARC View| |[9]Quit | |-----------| |Directory |D1:*.* |Batch Name |D1:GLUE.BAT |Output Name|D1:FILENAME.GLU |-----------| |->>6 |BATch name?| DX:SUB>FILENAME.EXT D1:GLU.BAT |OASIS GLUE | |-----------| |Menu | |-----------| |[1]DirTAG | |[2]GLU View| |[3]Glue | |[4]Un-Glue | |[5]unused | |[6]BAT Name| |[7]Direct. | |[8]ARC View| |[9]Quit | |-----------| |Directory |D1:*.* |Batch Name |D1:GLU.BAT |Output Name|D1:FILENAME.GLU |-----------| |->>1 DX:SUB>FILENAME.EXT D5:*.BAS Volume: DRIVE_5 Directory: MAIN A PURGE BAS 3369 6-04-88 5:33a B MAKEDASH BAS 477 5-07-88 11:24a C P BAS 3572 6-08-88 1:27p D SCREEN BAS 9321 3-30-88 2:18p E TOPXXUSR BAS 8655 4-25-88 1:09p 11733 FREE SECTORS |End Of Listing !| |Letters to TAG->|CAB [ Hit A Key ] |->>3 |Output Name| DX:SUB>FILENAME.EXT D7:UGH>TEST.GLU |Use Batch? |D1:GLU.BAT [YES] 3369 D5:PURGE.BAS 0477 D5:MAKEDASH.BAS 3572 D5:P.BAS [ Hit A Key ] |->>2 |View File? | DX:SUB>FILENAME.EXT D7:UGH>TEST.GLU 3369 PURGE.BAS 0477 MAKEDASH.BAS 3572 P.BAS [ Hit A Key ] |->>4 |UnGlu File?| DX:SUB>FILENAME.EXT D7:UGH>*.GLU |Output Name| DX:SUB>FILENAME.EXT D7:UGH> 3369 D7:UGH>PURGE.BAS 0477 D7:UGH>MAKEDASH.BAS 3572 D7:UGH>P.BAS [ Hit A Key ] |OASIS GLUE | |-----------| |Menu | |-----------| |[1]DirTAG | |[2]GLU View| |[3]Glue | |[4]Un-Glue | |[5]unused | |[6]BAT Name| |[7]Direct. | |[8]ARC View| |[9]Quit | |-----------| |Directory |D5:*.BAS |Batch Name |D1:GLU.BAT |Output Name|D7:UGH>P.BAS |-----------| |->>7 DX:SUB>FILENAME.EXT D7:UGH>*.* Volume: NEWEST_7 Directory: UGH A TEST GLU 7456 6-12-88 1:59p B PURGE BAS 3369 6-12-88 2:00p C MAKEDASH BAS 477 6-12-88 2:00p D P BAS 3572 6-12-88 2:00p 18217 FREE SECTORS |End Of Listing !| [ Hit A Key ] |->>* |Aborted....| [301-437-9813] [Minutes Left]55 [Current Base][General Base] END ------------------- Explanation of DEMO steps: <#> Went into SYSOP menu on OASIS BBS and deleted all files on D7:UGH>*.* <#> Ran a directory on D7:UGH>*.* to show the directory is empty. <#> Used SYSOP command [W] to run the module called GLU. * Following functions all performed by the GLU module while BBS is up. * <#> ARC-View of contents of an ALF-Crunch file of a module shared with us by a Canadian OASIS SysOp. <#> Set BATCH filename to D1:GLU.BAT <#> Ran a DIR-TAG directory on D5:*.BAS <#> Entered my letters for filenames to be tagged in any order. They are saved into the D1:GLU.BAT file. I could have done another directory and had those files tagged and added to the same .BAT file. <#> Used GLU option which used the .BAT file to get files to be GLUED. <#> Used View option to see contents of the file, D7:UGH>TEST.GLU. <#> Used UNGLU option on my .GLU file. <#> Did a normal DIRECTORY (no TAG) of D7:UGH>*.* to show the .GLU and UNGLUED results. <#> Quit to BBS, and ended up at BBS Main Menu prompt. Be on the lookout for the P.D. offline .COM file version of GLUE! by Z INNOVATORS, reached on these BBS numbers: 617-767-0675 617-767-0760 PCP MABOS 2400 NODE also: 617-559-6844 (not-PCP) ###################################### VIRUS UPDATE Number 2 Bill Pike PAC ###################################### Well now it looks like the government has been hit by the virus scourge. The Environmental Protection Agency & NASA have both been hit by a virus program on personal computers within their systems. The virus was apparently brought in from the outside by one or more of the employees. It spread from there thru out the system of PC's. It is not yet know how much damage was done over a 5 month period starting last January. Although damage to government data appears to be limited, due mostly to the virus being designed for IBM and IBM clone type of computers while most of the sensitive data was in main frame computers which the virus couldn't infect. The program was called the -scores virus- it was not stated just what the virus did but it was said that many files and data on PC's were damaged. The FBI has been called into the investigation however since the original source is difficult, at the least, to pin down it appears that most of the effort is going to prevent reinfection by another more insidious virus in the future. The spread of the -scores- virus was exacerbated when private contractors in the Washington and North Carolina area inadvertently sold dozens of computers carrying the virus on hard disk to government agencies . ************************************************* ZMAGAZINE ISSUE #115 JULY 20, 1988 (C)1988 APEINC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINT PERMISSION IS GRANTED AS LONG AS ZMAG AND AUTHOR ARE INTACT *************************************************