Every issue of START, The ST Quarterly. comes with a START disk. It's packed with useful programs and utilities-START disks have included everything from tax templates for your spreadsheet to word processors and drawing programs. If you're a subscriber, you'll find your START disk in a special envelope bound directly into your copy (or if you've bought the $14.95 disk version from the newsstand).

If you purchased the $4 non-disk version of START you can still obtain the disk by sending us the bound-in order card or mailing $10.95 for postage and handling to: START DISK #7, 544 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107. (When ordering, always make sure to specify the disk you want.) Note: If you want same day service, call (415) 957-0886 and ask for the Disk Desk. Give us your MasterCard or Visa number, and we'll send out your START disk that very same day!

All programs on the START disk are for your own private use, and are not public domain. Please don't copy your disk for your friends, accept a copy from someone, or upload these programs on a bulletin board system. That makes it more difficult for us to afford to bring you quality ST programs and incisive technical material. Software piracy hurts everyone.

GETTING STARTED
Use scissors to open your disk envelope along the outside vertical edge, then put the disk in drive A and double-click on the disk icon to see its contents. Refer to your ST owner's manual if you're uncertain about using the Desktop.

Important: Before you do anything else, back up your START disk- it's not copy-protected. Format a fresh disk as single-sided, and copy your entire START disk to it. Finished? Now place your original START disk in a safe place and begin using the new copy

The START disk for this issue contains four files, three of them ARC files. The ARC (short for ARChive) system was originally developed for MS-DOS computers, and was implemented on the ST by Harvey Johnson of Palm Bay, Florida. With ARC you can compress many different files together into a single file, reducing the total size by 40 percent or more-and then expand the file back into its original parts. We chose ARC because it's efficient and bulletproof-the same reasons its CompuServe's preferred compressor/ librarian. You can download a complete set of ARC utilities from CompuServe's ATARI16 forum and many other online services and bulletin boards. It's also available for $12 (plus $3 postage and handling) from The Catalog, which is bound into the middle of this issue of START.

You'll find the program ARCX.TTP on your START disk- it's a compact version of ARC that can only decompress ARC Files. Using it is simple. Suppose there's a file on the START disk marked FOO.ARC. To un-ARC it, first copy FOO.ARC and ARCX.TTP to a freshly formatted disk. Double-click on ARCX.TTP then type in the name of the file you want to decompress, FOO.ARC and press the Return key. ARC will un-ARC the files inside FOO.ARC and place them on the disk. That's all there is to it!

ON THE DISK
ARCX.TTP The un-ARCing utility. Double-click on this to uncompress a file.

STARTKEY.ARC STARTKey is START's super macros program, allowing you to redefine any key on your ST keyboard. Inside STARTKEY.ARC you'll find the following files:
the runnable programs (STARFKEY.ACC, SKCOMPIL.TTP and SKAUTO.PRG), the resource file (STARTKEY.RSC) and the source files (STARTKEY.C, SKCOMPIL.C. SK.H, KEYS.H and SKAUTO.PAS). You'll also find sample macro files (ACCENTS.MAX, DVORAK.MAX, HEBREW.MAX, MACROS.MAX, MATH.MAX and SAMPLE.MAX) and associated text files (ACCENTS.TXT. DVORAK.TXT, HEBREW.TXT, MACROS.TXT, MATH.TXT and SAMPLE.TXT). Finally there's a file describing the keycodes (KEYCODES),. sample MONTHS.TXT file (described in the text). and the menu spotting program (SPOTMENU.PRG).

STWRITE2.ARC Here is the latest and greatest version of ST Writer, the Atari freeware word processor-now GEM-based! Inside STWRITE2.ARC you'll find the following files: the runnable programs (STWRITER.PRG and CONFIG.TOS), the resource file (STWVZENG.RSC), and associated files (CONFIG.TXT, HELPTXT, STWCODES.TXT, TEMPLATE.TXT, XYZZX.TXT). The disk also contains the manual for ST Writer version 2 (file STWMAN.ARC). Remember, you'll need to load it into ST Writer before you can read it!

DISK BONUS: A SUPER ARCADE GAME!
LASERBAS.ARC In our last issue. we presented Brickyard, a GFA BASIC version of the arcade classic Breakout. Now, Patrick Bass presents another adaptation of another arcade wonder-LaserBase, his assembly language interpretation of Atari's famous Missile Command. Inside LASERBAS.ARC you'll find the following files: the program itself (LASER.PRG), the source code (LASERS), and three DEGAS pictures comprising the title screen, background and foreground (TITLE.P11. BACKGRND.P11 and FOREGRND.P11. respectively). A program take-apart is included as a text file (BREAKDWN.TXT). You'll also find a file called READ.ME outside the archive file-it tells you everything you'll need to know to save the world!