SOFTWARE REVIEW: PICWORKS 2.0 by Richard Karsmakers
Originally, this program was supposed to be launched through ST
Club Eindhoven's "Low Price Software", but the people of the
"Strike-a-Light" group thought is better to let PDS/Softpack take
care of that job. In this article you can read all about this new
and amazing program, that was written to make use of the ST in
combination with a printer in the most perfect possible way.
Like most programs from the "Strike-a-Light" group (which is
Roland and Eerk Hofmeester and Robert Heessels), "Picworks 2.0"
is also programmed in GfA Basic, and afterwards compiled. They've
surely done one hell of a job, and they haven't done things the
easy way all the time - for example, there's the adapted File
Selector box (I have been nagging to Robert if he would explain
how he did it for ST NEWS, but unfortunately he didn't want to do
that) and more tiny things like that.
"Picworks 2.0" can literally read every picture file format on
earth (except files from "N-Vision" and vector graphic files like
those from "GEM Paint" and "Easy Draw") into monochrome or color
modes (conversion is done automatically). Once the picture is in
memory (a maximum of 9 pictures can be put in memory at once),
limited editing possibilities can be used (of which the most
handy is the 'lighter'/'darker' option for the purpose the
program was written).
After reading/editing, it can be printed on all connectable
parallel printers. And ALL graphic modes of the individual
printers are supported! It is possible to work with Star NL-10,
NEC P6 and of course many more printers. The size of the picture
to be printed can be specified in accuracies of hundredths of
centimetres (on a NEC P6, the minimal size is about 6.5 by 9 cm.,
whereas the maximal size is undefined - I suppose you'd have to
wait for an overflow error before it cannot be done anymore).
For printing freaks, "Picworks 2.0" is definately THE best
program around; just be artistic in any drawing program and make
post cards, super-sized posters (what about 500*400 metres or
so?) using this new and versatile utility.
At a price of 79.95 Dutch guilders, this program is surely worth
its money, so you should buy it as soon as possible if you're a
printin' freak of any kind. If the people of the "Strike-a-Light"
group continue like this, they will soon be just as famous with
regard to utilities as Microdeal for games!
At the usergroup meeting in Eindhoven on the first Saturday of
July, the idea was mentioned to break the world-record 'big-
printing' using "Picworks 2.0", sponsored by ST Club Eindhoven.
If you think this to be a great idea (ST promotion!), please send
a postcard or something of the kind to either the "Strike-a-
Light" group or ST Club Eindhoven, or maybe even to the ST NEWS
correspondence address!
Hereby I'd also like to add a few words of thanks to the "Strike-
a-Light" people for a cosy party they threw a couple of weeks
ago. Things like that should happen more often (in spite of the
fact that we had to bring our own stuff to consume)!
Disclaimer
The text of the articles is identical to the originals like they appeared
in old ST NEWS issues. Please take into consideration that the author(s)
was (were) a lot younger and less responsible back then. So bad jokes,
bad English, youthful arrogance, insults, bravura, over-crediting and
tastelessness should be taken with at least a grain of salt. Any contact
and/or payment information, as well as deadlines/release dates of any
kind should be regarded as outdated. Due to the fact that these pages are
not actually contained in an Atari executable here, references to scroll
texts, featured demo screens and hidden articles may also be irrelevant.