(C) Music CARDINAL/ACCEPT CORP. (C) Kotov A.V. (CAV Inc.)
I was forced to sit down at the keyboard of my old "Pentagon" by certain events that really angered me. Let's start from the beginning: it has become a tradition to criticize the "Pentagon" for its incompatibility with the proprietary SPECCY and to praise other machines (mostly, Scorpion and KAY /which is almost the same/). Guys, you're wrong. In my opinion, it's better to have one and a half thousand more cycles than five or six thousand less. This is in reference to the call in ZX-Review 7-8/96 for non-Scorpion users to modify their computers for this machine. They even provided schematics. What is the purpose of this modification, you may ask? It is for installing the ProfROM. And here arises a reasonable question: why? As the respected author of the article writes, it is so that you can connect various Scorpion devices to your computer: iBM keyboards, mice, IDE drives, and so on. (It would be better to think about how to attach a ZIP drive, that would be more useful.)
ADV: There is also an opinion that adding all these gadgets to the SPECCY makes it not a Spectrum. That Spectrum is 128K of memory + AY + disk drive. And instead of adding various gadgets to it, it's better to buy a cooler computer, for example, an AMIGA :-).
Furthermore, we need to ask the question: Are you using ALL the capabilities provided by the shadow ROM on your "Scorpions" (referring to system restarts)? In my opinion, no one uses them (at least, I haven't heard of anyone). Also, according to them, this modification is needed for DOS (not TR-DOS) and they prophesy iS-DOS for this role. No, I have nothing (almost) against iS-DOS, but I wouldn't want to see it as the OS on my computer. (That's an unfortunate idea borrowed from MS-DOS.) By the way, why is everyone so obsessed with PC? They attach iBM keyboards (it's inconvenient to work under SPECCY with an iBM keyboard, and they have no standard at all (I'll explain later what I mean). So, of course, I understand that SPECCY doesn't have a lot of memory and everything had to be crammed into 48 kilobytes somehow. But, citizens, not like this. Take, for example, the old RT-11, the first release of which was around 1971 or 1972. I can honestly say that it is much better and more reasonable than MS-DOS. The core of the system takes only 2K, and everything else is done through drivers. And it has remained that way to this day (the last version I saw was 5.4 from 1992). I've never encountered such an easy installation of drivers anywhere else. To install or activate a driver: you give the command "LOAD driver_file_name" or "SET driver_name ON" and that's it! Nothing more is needed: no rebooting the computer, no other perversions. If you no longer need a driver - you give the command "UNLOAD ..." or "SET ... OFF" and that's it, the memory returns to the system, vectors are freed, and so on. But in iS-DOS I couldn't remove a resident from memory (in RT-11 all loaded drivers are resident). And iS-DOS is being actively pushed on us by gentlemen Nemo and Zонов. This is not an attack, I'm just fed up with everything, especially phrases like "Ugh! BASIC is lame" or similar. This also applies to computers. How many times have I seen new students, coming from wealthy (in the past) schools, turning their noses up at УК-НЦ - ... and the monitors are not color, and there are no games (or rather, I didn't install them), and in general, they should be thrown in the trash. What right do they have to think like that? They HAVE NOT WORKED with either one or the other (I mean PC). After all, if we look at games, then on the same SEGA ACTION - the games are much cooler than on IBM PC. And as for BASIC, I just don't understand what it did to offend (especially iBM "programmers"), what difference does it make what you write your program in. For me personally, none. Whatever is more convenient to implement the task on, that's what will be done, even in Chinese :-). You are probably reading this and thinking: "What kind of person is this Sashka, nothing pleases him, he constantly criticizes everyone." Yes, I haven't liked anything at all lately. Now about why I actually started writing this article. It's so that, dear readers, you think a little about the future. The future of your SPECCY, your future. It's time to take matters into your own hands and reclaim Russia from Microsoft and IBM PC clones (even on the same PCs :-o). You think it won't work? It will work! Our programmers have been and remain the best in the world, and no matter what Reverend Father Ваннах says about how it's harder for Russian-speaking programmers to write programs and their quality is worse. We can outdo everyone, but only... we don't want to. By the way, this is not a joke. Do you know who mainly writes programs for PC in Russia? Right, students and graduates of faculties where there was computer science. Professional programmers (especially recent graduates) do anything but work in their profession. I have an acquaintance, he is quite good at both SPECCY and PC, but apart from me and a very narrow circle of acquaintances, no one has seen his work. He could do a lot, but he doesn't, and why? Because it's already been done by someone else, and doing something that has already been done again is too much trouble for him, even though he could do it better. So it turns out that in Russia, computer progress is driven by people who are not (with rare exceptions) professionals. Now another question: which market to work in? With Spectrum, everything is clear, but with PC... For some reason, almost everyone tries to break into the West. What do we need this West for? They already have plenty of everything. It would be better to think about how to make normal promotion of programs in our own country. And, by the way, don't forget to erect a monument to Hackers. I might be asked: "What does all this nonsense have to do with Spectrum?" Nothing at all. I'm just tired of seeing magazines that look like collections of "Best Games" plus "ZX Hiding Places." After all, what electronic magazine you start, it's the same: game descriptions, information on programming techniques, "hardware," occasionally a novella or some kind of funny text, advertising, and responses to readers' letters. This all sounds familiar to you, doesn't it? Sometimes, however, there appears some nonsense, like what you are reading now. And I've only seen it in ZX-Format (Captain NEMO loves this) or in the native Adventurer (here I'm just rambling). The question arises, why write on abstract topics in a computer publication? Have you read КомпьюТерра (preferably regularly)? Sometimes you come across such things there... And it looks cool.
Honestly, I don't really like our magazine. Of course, a sense of pride awakens when letters come from all over the country and from near abroad. But when you look at the magazine, you immediately think, something is not right here, something is off. But how it should be - I can't figure it out. Of course, I could describe what I would like to see in an ideal magazine, but my thoughts scatter and I don't even know what I want. I want a beautiful and convenient interface, so that others don't have anything like it (and all the talk about modern graphical interfaces is nonsense, it's not that modern, and not very convenient), more information, more active readers, and I still don't know what else.
Contents of the publication: Adventurer #06
- Presentation
This is an introduction novel for the game Return to Home 4, featuring space battles and a narrative about pilot Raifus navigating challenges in a military context.
- Presentation
The article presents K.KAV software's new game 'DEATH WORLDS: TORISTAG INVADERS RETURN TO HOME 5', a real-time strategy continuation of 'RTHЧ'. Players will battle against competitors on resource-rich planets while managing technology and military forces. The game's projected release is between late spring and summer of 1997.
- System Software Updates for ZX Spectrum - Котов А.В.
The article reviews various software updates and utilities for ZX Spectrum, highlighting their features, usability, and performance. It provides insight into programming tools, disk management, and database applications. The tone blends critique and personal experience to inform readers about the latest developments in Spectrum software.
- Overview of ZX Spectrum Software
The article provides a comprehensive overview of new software for ZX Spectrum, highlighting various games, their features, and recommendations for players.
- Interface
Discussion of the ZX Spectrum's interface issues and user frustrations with compatibility and modern enhancements. The author critiques the push for users to modify their machines for non-standard features and expresses dissatisfaction with current trends. Reflection on the future of the ZX Spectrum and the need for a more vibrant community involvement.
- Interface
The article discusses feedback from readers regarding games and programming tools for ZX Spectrum. It includes cheat codes for a game, opinions on assemblers, and insights into user preferences for computing. Various reader inquiries about games and software are also addressed.
- Interface
The article discusses issues surrounding the OVER FILE GROUP, a game developer known for mail-order sales, and the impact on user trust in software distribution. It also raises the question of whether to transition the magazine to 128K ONLY, seeking reader feedback. The piece reflects on the importance of user support for maintaining a trusted gaming community.
- Interface
The article discusses recent news in the ZX Spectrum community, including game development updates, personal news about developers, and local happenings in the Rybinsk and Yaroslavl areas.
- Presentation
The article presents new software releases by SURDAKAR GROUP, including a demo of ROAD FIGHTER and updates on FONT EDITOR and RAY DISK MONITOR.
- Promotion of Adventure Games
The article provides a detailed analysis of the adventure games 'APOLLO' and 'ЧУЖОЙ', evaluating their gameplay, challenges, and shortcomings in design.
- Ottyag
Discussion of computer slang and its impact on modern language, highlighting humorous interactions among users.
- Оттяг
The article presents a humorous collection of absurd lists, including reasons for dinosaur extinction, alternative names for Robinson Crusoe's Friday, and more.
- Ottyag
The article presents a test for aspiring demo makers, assessing their skills and commitment to demo creation on the ZX Spectrum. It evaluates their approaches to music, graphics, effects, and their overall engagement with the demo scene. Results determine their standing from novice to expert in the demoscene community.
- What Not to Say or Do When Drunk
The article provides humorous advice on what to avoid saying or doing when drunk, based on personal anecdotes. It emphasizes the consequences of poor decisions and offers cautionary tips. The content is lighthearted and reflects on typical drunken behaviors and their repercussions.
- Friendship Quiz
The article presents a humorous quiz about friendship, evaluating how friends would react in various social scenarios, culminating in a scoring system to assess the depth of one’s friendships.
- Ottag
Статья представляет собой сборник китайских пословиц с юмористическим подтекстом, отражающих различные аспекты жизни и отношений. Она сочетает в себе элементы сатиры и легкого фольклора, используя ироничные наблюдения о человеческом поведении. Текст включает в себя аллюзии на сексуальность, настольные игры и религиозные вопросы.
- Оттяг
Статья представляет собой пародийное евангелие, где события жизни Иисуса Христа изображаются в неформальном и юмористическом ключе.
- Experience Sharing
The article provides a detailed guide on creating a complete disk version of a program for ZX Spectrum, including code examples and practical advice.
- Experience Exchange
The article provides a comparative analysis of the PC and Amiga platforms, highlighting their respective advantages and disadvantages based on personal experience.
- Experience Exchange
The article discusses the existence and behavior of computer viruses on the ZX Spectrum, particularly the BASIC file infecting virus known as 'Drunken Djinn', first seen in the game Last Battle.
- Code Protection Methods
The article discusses various methods of software code protection, detailing techniques like inversion masking, obfuscation, P-code, cryptographic algorithms, and the use of ISR. Each method is evaluated for effectiveness and application, particularly within the ZX Spectrum environment. The author invites further information and collaboration on information security methods.
- Anniversary
The article celebrates the sixth issue of 'ADVENTURER,' marking one year since the founding of the AURYN group. It reflects on the past year for the Speccy community, including the emergence of new programs and the first demomakers' gathering in the CIS. The author expresses hope for the future of Speccy and encourages readers to support and promote the platform.
- Anniversary
Article celebrates the 15th anniversary of the Spectrum, reflecting on its enduring legacy and recent developments in hardware and software.
- Novella
The article narrates a novella centered on a covert mission involving a programmer named Gerald O'Brien, who is hired by a drug lord called Swede to infiltrate a rival's computer network, leading to a thrilling sequence of espionage and violence.
- Contest
The article discusses a contest related to ZX Spectrum, showcasing submissions and participants' creativity.
- Advertisement
The article is an advertisement section in Adventurer #06, inviting hackers, programmers, artists, and musicians to contribute to the ZX Spectrum community. It outlines collaboration opportunities, offers specific requirements for software submissions, and includes contact information for advertising and game distribution. Additionally, it promotes a range of ZX Spectrum software and services available across various cities.
