p        /ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ\                                                             
       /  /\7  /\7  /\                                        /ÿ\                
      /  / /  / /  / //ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ\   /ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ\   /ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ\    \\\\ /ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ\     
     /  / /  / /  / / \\\\\\7  /\ /  /\\\7  /\ /  /\\\7  /\ /ÿ\ÿÿÿ/  /\\\7  /\    
    /  / /  / /  / //ÿÿÿÿÿ\/  / //   ÿÿ\/  / //   ÿÿ\/  / //  /\ /  /\ÿÿÿ  / /    
   /  / /  / /  / //  /\\\7  / / \\\\\\7  / / \\\\\\7  / //  / //  / /\\\\\\/     
  /  / /  / /  / //   ÿÿÿÿ  / /   ÿÿÿÿ7  / /   ÿÿÿÿ7  / //  / //   ÿÿÿÿÿÿ7\       
  \\\\/\\\\/\\\\/ \\\\\\\\\\\//ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ  / //ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ  / / \\\\/ \\\\\\\\\\\/       
   ÿÿÿ  ÿÿÿ  ÿÿÿ   ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ \\\\\\\\\\\/ \\\\\\\\\\\/   ÿÿÿ   ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ        
                               ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ   ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ                            
        /ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ\      /ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ\                                            
        \\\\\\\\\\\7  /\    /  /\\7  /\          /ÿÿÿÿ7\ /ÿ7\/ÿ7\ /ÿÿÿÿ7\         
         ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ7  / /   /  / //  / /          \7 /\\//  ÿÿ / // ÿÿÿ7\/         
     /ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ  / //ÿÿÿ   ÿÿÿ   ÿ\           / / / / /\7 / // ÿÿÿ7\/          
    /  /\\\\\\\\\\\\\//  /\\\\\\\\7  /\          \\\/  \\\/\\\/ \\\\\\/           
   /  / /ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ/  / /ÿÿÿÿÿÿ7  / /     /ÿ7\/ÿ7\ /ÿÿÿÿ7\ /ÿ7ÿ7\               
  /   ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ\   /   ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ  / /     /  ÿÿ / //ÿÿÿ / //    ÿ7\              
  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\/     /ÿÿÿÿ / //  ÿÿ7\// /\7 / /              
   ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ   ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ      \\\\\\\/ \\\\\\/ \\\/\\\/               
               /ÿÿÿÿ7\ /ÿÿÿ\   /ÿ7\ /ÿÿÿÿ7\ /ÿ7\ /ÿÿÿÿ7\ /ÿÿÿÿÿ7\                 
              / ÿÿÿ7\// /7 /\ / / / \7 /\\// / // /7 / // /\7 / /                 
             / ÿÿÿ7\//  ÿ / // / /  / / / / / //  ÿ / // / / / /                  
             \\\\\\/ \\\\\\/ \\\/   \\\/  \\\/ \\\\\\/ \\\/\\\/                   
                                                                                  q

          Some annoying  personal prequel drivel before you
          get to the real  'Readme.txt'.  This was written
          in the period shortly after the New Year festivities.


  First Impressions of the New Millenium....

It  is  about  four minutes after zero  hour,  the  Northampton  horizon 
flickers like an epileptic moth fluttered into the dimmer switch for the 
whole sky,  comet-tailed fireworks arc and explode overhead,  and we hop 
uneasily  between recent rainfall dribbled puddles in the garden,  as we 
add our share to the firepower going off above.

The elation is total, the annoying 'pre-release' hype, which only served 
to  turn  a lot of people off the idea,  gladly forgotten,  and we  feel 
really properly connected to the whole millenium thing,  perhaps for the 
first time.

Quite  different,  a  few  minutes before,  where we were  watching  the 
official  London-based  party,  in  a  booze fuzzed  and  frankly  over-
comfortable state. The fireworks were 'just an idea' that someone in our 
party  had a bit earlier. "Show the people in London how it's done!". It 
was 'just an idea' that everyone else around gloriously joined in  with, 
all at that same moment!

The  explosions  seem to merge into one continuous  roar,  the  strobing 
grows  ever more intense.  Some deeper throatier booming explosions  add 
their  weight,  as  if  someone got too far into the party  spirit,  and 
decided to detonate some liquid petroleum gas storage tanks on the other 
side of town!?

Our  work  done,  we gleefully watch the rest of the show unfold in  the 
heavens. Very slowly, and reluctantly, the sound and light subsides. The 
new  century  and  millenium have been announced with  a  due  sense  of 
celebration.  We go back inside satisfied.  I notice then,  that lacking 
proper  outdoor footwear and after recklessly rushing outside,  my  feet 
are somewhat damp....


  Second Impression of the New Millenium....

Well, the lights are still on.

I did check up on some of the earlier worldwide celebrations, to see how 
they  got  on.  The first major report coming from New Zealand,  as they 
approached  their  midnight  hour,  I was  half-anticipating  everything 
technological, background cityscape lighting, news report and all, to go 
'Fizzle-Glug'  on  the count of zero.  Needless to say,  it didn't.  The 
panicked  trip  to the local supermarket to stock up on  candles,  water 
purifying tablets, and bear-traps, happily wasn't needed after all.

Could have been interesting,  in a scary sort of way, if it had all gone 
wrong though?

"This is your special correspondent reporting from the first outpost  of 
civilisation to go down before the Millenium Bug...  The darkness closes 
in,  the shadows lengthen,  and a supernatural kind of panic takes over, 
perhaps for all time... Good night!"


 Third Impression of the New Millenium....

And this lot is still working.

We're just into the second of Jan now, so my system clock on my Falcy is 
telling me whilst I'm writing this.  I went back to Rushden for a while, 
logged on, and the internet, or at least the bits of it important to me, 
all worked too.

But  us Atarians knew we were going to make it through the  double-zero, 
months ago!  Not like those poor fretting PC owners,  wondering if their 
huge investments in Y2K-proofing, really did the trick or not?

Even for them, sometimes fate deals a kind hand?

Naah! They're PCs, don't forget!


          Okay, handing you over to
          official 'Readme.txt' now!

       
Well,  it's the 21st Century now,  and we're still here!  Computing and 
coding,  Atari style,  is still here too,  with the promise of more and 
better to come.  Also, our own personal enthusiasm is undimmed, even if 
it hasn't translated too successfully to an early release date for this 
issue of Maggie!

(Pedant note, let's not get into this "The new millenium doesn't really 
start until next year" business. You may be correct, but all the decent 
parties have gone by already!)

Well, what happens if you click around the place?

STe intro fans,  there is one for this issue, you lucky people! Just go 
for the 'STe_only.prg' lurking in this directory, there you will find a 
nice  tasteful  little intro by KUA,  the new Greek kids on  the  Atari 
block!  It is STe only,  as it uses some STe specific hardware features 
missing from the 'FM, and works 'partially' on the Falcon at best.

What's inside,  is what you have all been waiting for,  and such treats 
as our long-delayed, but incredibly detailed Error in Line report, tons 
of  assorted  reviews,  the final instalment of the 'how to'  guide  to 
completing  'Running',  even three separate hardware reviews that  each 
offer their own insights into the possible future of computing  without 
Wintel.  (Not to mention news of the recent revival of another hardware 
platform  beginning with the letter 'P',  under the banner of the  MinT 
O/S!)

You may also pick up traces of gloating at Bill Gates's reverse at  the 
hands of the US Supreme Court.  Now I never thought I'd be grateful for 
the  activities of a bunch of American lawyers!!  I suppose if you hang 
around long enough, anything becomes possible?

(New  topic)  As you know,  this year is the tenth anniversary year  of 
Maggie,  and the next issue, will be the official tenth birthday issue. 
All suggestions and contributions will be welcome,  very welcome,  as I 
sure  don't feel like doing this one all by myself!  A bit more  detail 
about our preliminary plans for the tenth birthday are inside.

We  will be catching up with a lot of people at the forthcoming  SV2000 
Convention this Easter in sunny Gdansk,  well it will be the latter end 
of  April,  so  the last of the winter chill should have gone by  then? 
Easter is later this year, not until the latter part of April, so we've 
got  a bit more time to practice our floor-sleeping skills,  also might 
be  an idea to get a man with a pneumatic drill set  to  'intermittent' 
mode  in  my  bedroom  at night to simulate  the  nocturnal  noises  of 
Requiem!

Until then, enjoy this issue and see you next time.

CiH, February 2nd 2000 


