Super 8-Bit Contest

Because of all the interest created by last year's Practical Program Contest and the fine type-in software it produced (Antic, November 1987), we're going to run an even bigger 8-bit contest in 1988. This time there are two grand prizes-ICD one-megabyte Multi I/O boards. The progamming categories are wide open and, for the first time, there's a grand prize for a non-program article!

The three runner-up programs and the three runner-up articles will each get a pair of prizes from ICD-an R-Time 8 clock/calendar cartridge and a SpartaDOS Construction Set disk.

Also, any entries accepted by Antic (including prizewinners) will be paid at our standard authors' rate, upon publication. In fact, all 8-bit programs accepted by Antic between January 1, 1988 and the contest deadline of August 1, 1988 will automatically be evaluated as potential contest winners. Winning programs and articles will be published in the December 1988 Antic.

ARTICLES CONTEST

The Feature Article Division of the 1988 Antic Contest is for: Best articles explaining the authors' real-life uses of their own power-enhanced Atari 8-bit computers. The authors must describe their own personal experiences and techniques using a non-standard 8-bit Atari that has-a memory upgrade of at least 256K, or a RAMdisk of at least 256K, or a hard disk of at least 10Mb, or other significant hardware modification.

Entries cannot be longer than 1,200 words and will be judged on the interest of the computer application as well as on quality of the writing. Either black & white photos or color slides (not color prints) can be submitted for publication along with an article, but photos are not required.

PROGRAMMING CONTEST

We are also looking for the best type-in programs for 8-bit Atari computer any type of program. Practical applications, games, graphics or music software, powerful programming utilities, educational tools are all eligible. No program will be disqualfied because of its category. Winning programs will be chosen for their interest, usefulness and imaginative originality, as well as for excellence and clean elegance of programming technique.

Please note and follow every tecnical rule given below. Some excellent programs had to be disqualified in last year's contest for secondary rule violations such as not being in renumberable code.

PROGRAM TECHNICAL RULES

• All entries must be original, unpublished works. Programs must be written in standard Atari BASIC (machine language subroutines are okay) and must RUN under DOS 2 or DOS 2.5 on all Atari computers having at least 48K memory (800, XL/XE). Programs must be self-contained and work without additional software, but compatibility with other programs is a plus.
• Maximum length for a SAVEd BASIC program entry (including any sub-listings) is 165 single-density disk sectors. Line numbers cannot be higher than 32000. No overlong program lines of more than 112 characters (after expansion of BASIC abbreviations). Program listings must be renumberable.
• Thorough error-trapping is required. And please do not include authors' copyright statements in your listing. Programs must be accompanied by an article that fully explains what the program does and provides a walk-through tutorial about how to operate it, as well as discussing the structure and techniques of the program. If your program uses a printer, your article should describe how to change the listing to work with different printer brands.

Programs must be submitted on DOS 2 or DOS 2.5 disks accompanied by a printout of the listing. Articles must also be submitted on disk as well as printed out. Text files must be readable by one of the following word processors PaperClip, AtariWriter, First XLEnt, Word Magic, or Antic Writer.

Entries must be received no later than August 1, 1988. You can submit as many entries as you like. Entries will be returned only if the author provides a stamped, self-adressed envelope. Send your entries to: Contest '88, Antic Magazine, 544 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107.

Nat Friedland
Editor, Antic