------------------------------------------------------------------------------ VvV VvV OoOoOoO IiIiIiI dD -------=== VvV VvV Oo oO Ii dD ===------- ----------=== VvV VvV Oo oO Ii dD ===--------- ------------=== VvV VvV Oo oO Ii DdDdDdD ===------------ ----------=== VvV VvV Oo oO Ii Dd dD ===--------- -------=== Vv vV Oo oO Ii Dd dD ===------- Vv OoOoOoO IiIiIiI dDdDdD ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ISSUE Number 5 14th January 1993 Submissions, comments etc to : se1pb@dmu.ac.uk Editor Phil Bird ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ============================================================================== ==== _____ __ __ =================================== === / ___/__ ___ / /____ ___ / /____ =================================== == / /__/ _ \/ _ \/ __/ -_) _\/ __(_ -< ==================================== == \___/\___/_//_/\__/\__/_//_/\__/___( ===================================== ============================================================================== 1...................................................................EDITORIAL 2................................Next issue and plea for them there articles! 3..................................................PIRATE BBS BUSTS IN THE UK 4.........................................................The Shareware Shope Morphing *Win-mod* release 5............................................................Competition time 6...............................Making the most of your memory using memmaker 7..................................................Tricks of the trade in DOS 8...............................PC GAMES REVIEWS............................. ETERNAM review ULTIMA VI PART TWO: SERPENT ISLE MIGHT AND MAGIC IV - CLOUDS OF XEEN AMAZON - GUARDIANS OF EDEN WAXWORKS KING'S QUEST VI - HEIR TODAY AND GONE TOMORROW 9...........................................................ASCII Art gallery 10..........................................A Quick and Dirty Guide to FTPing 11...............................................Back Issues and FTP'ing VOID 12....................................................Parting words and thanks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ============================================================================== ==== ____ ___ __ _ ___ ===================================== === / __/__/ (_) /____ ____(_)__ _/ ( ====================================== == / _// _ / / __/ _ \/ __/ / _ `/ / ======================================= ==/___/\_,_/_/\__/\___/_/ /_/\_,_/_( ======================================== ============================================================================== It's FFFFFFFFriday! Welcome to the 5th.. yes, the super huge, 5th issue of VOId probably the only mag that admits to the odd spelling mistake! (Or at least I admit to!). I have been quite busy recently trying to give -=VOId=- a new sparkling look (which is only really half implemented in this issue) which has ment my contribution to the article situation has, to say the least, been at a minimum! So there's a few sections of -=VOId=- missing this ish.. but do not despair they shall return for the next issue... Enough of the bad news and more of the good news! Erm.. the good news.. now let me see... ho hum.. no good news! Oh well.. :-) Oh apart from the first competition ever in -=VOId=- with some very special prices.. so read on! :) Well I guess that's all I can think to Rant about this issue (possibly due to a having a large hang-over.. but lets not dwell on that!) so it's goodbye from me.. and goodbye from him.. keep those articles coming and I'll see you all in the next issue! Take care and thank crunchy for headache pills! :) Phil ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _ __ __ ____ / |/ /____ __/ /_ / _/__ ___ __ _____ / / -_) \/ / __/ _/ /(_-<(_- copy con Where filename will be the file you want to make The text to be in the file. ^Z i.e. control + Z, return You can't edit files using this method, and it's severly limited, but it can be useful. Checking for a EMS driver from a batch file ------------------------------------------- There is a quick and simple way to check if an expanded memory manager is loaded. You may want to do the check in a batch file that runs different configurations of a program depending if a manager is loaded or not. An example: if not exist EMMXXXX0 goto not_there echo "You have an expanded memory manager loaded" goto end :not_there echo "You don't have an expanded memory manager" :end The EMMXXXX0 'file' is always present if an EMS driver is loaded. Synthesising keys using ALT --------------------------- I have found several uses for this tip, mainly when a PC's keyboard is broken! By holding down the left alt key, typing the ascii number of the key you want on the numeric keypad, and releasing the alt key, the ascii code is generated. For example, holding down alt, pressing 6,5 on the numeric keypad and releasing alt gives the letter A. It comes in really useful when you want to use the extended ascii characters, for example alt,2,2,8 gives the sigma character. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ============================================================================== ==== ___ _____ ___ _ =========================== === / _ \/ ___/ / _ \___ _ __(_)__ _ _____ ============================ == / ___/ /__ / _, / -_) |/ / / -_) |/|/ (_-< ============================= ==/_/ \___/ /_/ |_\__/|___/_/\__/|__,__/___( ============================== ============================================================================== ETERNAM Animated adventure by INFOGRAMES From the word "go" you know this product is different. Or is "weird" the word I am looking for? Whichever way you look at it, it has to be the release of the year in this category: truly a great game. Anyway, I'll try to describe it for you. A sharp, short, introduction, wonderful to watch, sets the scene. You will find yourself in a strange world (although it will be more familiar to those who played Drakkhen) along which you travel in search of adventure. The graphics are splendid and refreshingly odd. The animation is so smooth, I got seasick going up and down hills. The interface is very simple. You move along with the arrow keys, and the letters T (take), L (look), S (speak), U (use), I (inventory) and D (disk) correspond to the icons on the screen. You find items by bumping into things. And that's ALL that's simple in this game. The screen in nice and big and it is totally uncluttered. Apart from the icons I mention, there is a small screen to the right which indicates your state of health and another to the left which alerts you when you are about to be attacked by nasties. I have not yet found the wherewithal to defend my character, although I presume that, when you do, you can engage in battle. In the meantime, I just dodged and hurried along. You get to meet very strange people in this very strange scenario. You get a choice of lines and you hold incomprehensible conversations with them which are often quite very funny. More often than not, you are led astray; with the hilarious result that you get killed in 1001 different ways. Great. There are marvellous cartoon sequences which are extremely well conceived and a joy to watch, and it is full of glorious surprises. Sometimes it is almost worth getting killed just see some of the sequences. I don't know if serious adventurers will take to this game, even if they have a great sense of humour - because, as an adventure, it certainly cannot be taken very seriously. I cannot make up my mind if this is a spoof, a tongue-in-cheek effort or a genuine attempt to entertain jaded adventurers! The puzzles are anything but logical and half the time you don't know what it is all about, so you are forced to try one thing after another until you hit on the right answer by sheer chance. You cannot inspect the items you find, so you don't know what they are, and therefore, you don't know how to use them! For instance, what is Canis Crotus? Any ideas? Your guess is as good as mine! It really is an extremely difficult game but, with all the jollies you get along the way, who cares? You certainly can't complain that it is not original. If you enjoy looking at screenfuls of beautiful pictures and solving way-out puzzles, this game is certainly for you. If you want hours of great entertainment (and remember that computer games with such fine humour are very rare indeed) you will love it. It is worth having just for the cartoon sequences, which are, without exception, simply brilliant. This is possibly the funniest game I have come across so far. Whatever you do, don't miss it. ULTIMA VII: The expansion link RPG by Origin This is something you add to your Ultima VII game, presumably already installed in your hard disk. Basically, you can either play the whole game plus the extra scenarios or, if you have played it already, you can go straight to Lord British and get fresh instructions. If, as directed, you go to Vesper, you find a new complex of small islands south of here and new tasks to accomplish. If you enjoyed the puzzles in Ultima VII you will very much enjoy the new ones - altough they are pretty tough, they are more of the same. I found this arrangement rather confusing because, not having kept my saved games, I had to start from scratch and, in these circumstances, you are in no state to take on the new scenarios straight away! If you had trouble enough completing the original game, you might be too battle-weary to want to go on. On the other hand, if you felt you hadn't had enough, here is your chance. The added adventure is not all that long, so you might even finish it between meals without spoiling your apetite. Of course, you will have to go around first doing a spot of murder and pillage here and there to acquire experience and loot, but I dare say you will enjoy it. I certainly did! * * * ULTIMA VI PART TWO: SERPENT ISLE RPG by Origin This is a complete adventure on its own, not to be confused with the add-on. The story continues where we left off at Ultima VII, as I feared it would; so now we are off in hot pursuit of Batlin. As regards graphics and interface, this game is not very different from the previous one, although it is more difficult. In the first place, the interface is just as awkward and the terribly slow scrolling has not improved. And that's only the mechanics of the thing! For a start, the moment you arrive at Serpent Isle, most of your equipment gets turned into rubbish, you lose your companions and you are desperately short of money. Next, the inhabitants of the nearest town are terrible snobs and won't have any truck with you until you have become a knight. How you are supposed to accomplish this with no money, no food and no weapons, is your first problem. So, here we are, in the midst of yet another great adventure. Although I actually like the Ultima scenarios, and get invariably gripped by them, I must confess that I find many sources of irritation. For instance, the high moral tone of these series is beginning to get up my nose. It is considered terribly wrong to lift a loaf you see laying about when you and your mates are starving - oh, no, none of that, Avatar. Is this virtuous? What you must do is go off and kill lots of people and then rob them. How is that for morality? I should have thought that a spot of pilfering is preferable to wholesale slaughter, but there you are. What is worse is that, this time, you get punished if you take no notice of your companion's warnings. The game is very linear and designed to make you waste as much time as possible so that it seems a lot longer than it actually is, and this ploy is getting a little bit long in the tooth by now. But if you get fed up chasing people you need to talk to, and are never there, and go somewhere else to do your own thing, your presence will not be acknowledged and you will not be able to carry on until you have finished what you were meant to finish. Frankly, I find the whole thing too constricting - I am playing the game too much the programmers' way, and that can't be right. And then there are the long conversations which one must have with all and sundry, just to get a kernel of useful info. No wonder the Ultima series are not universally popular! I fear that Origin have lost their way somewhat; their stories are so marvellous, it is such a pity that they don't make their games more simple and playable. And it is not as though some other people are not writing good RPG games these days - I must say I am finding it more and more difficult to remain at my PC on the Ultima games, whereas previously you would have had to rap me over the knuckles with a hammer before I would leave off. See what YOU think. MIGHT AND MAGIC IV - CLOUDS OF XEEN RPG by New World Computing Personally, I thought that Might & Magic III could not be beaten - has this sequel managed to do it? It certainly looks like it. But having tremendously enjoyed all of the other M&M games, I was just grateful that there was yet another one, who could ask for more? Full of anticipation I loaded the new game, and I was not disappointed. The introduction, brief as it was, took my breath away. Oh, wow! There is no hanging about, either - it's straight into play, if you want. You are allowed to choose between being an adventurer or a warrior. I chose adverturer, thinking there'd be less monsters. Ha! You start with a ready and complete party, no messing, and the first view of the world you are about to explore is truly awesome. Of course, you can turn around and go back into the inn, find your way to the desk and click on it. Checking in will allow you to create your own characters, but I was just too impatient to get started, and anyway the guys you are given already have useful skills. Nevertheless it is a good idea to pop into the inn and click on the various tables and get a few titbits of information. The setup is exactly as in M&M III, although there are whole number of improvements, the most important of which is that you can save your game anywhere, you don't have to go back to the inn. Dr. Wizard (help), will return you to it if you so desire, from wherever you are - there is a penalty, however. You lose all your gems, and without them you can't cast spells. And, believe me, you need them. You also can keep notes automatically of things you find, quests you must complete, important items you need, etc. Finding new features was yet another delight, but the main thing is that the enormously high standards of M&M III have been maintained. The graphics are indescribably brilliant - but, then again, that was to be expected, to jugde from the previous version. Nevertheless, hang on to your hats because there are some truly stunning sequences. And the monsters are so beautifully crafted and animated that when they move up close you instinctively draw back! Only my dignity kept me from dodging and ducking in my chair... The interface is very easy, point and click all the way, although, of course, the amount of options you have this time are on an epic scale. For instance, whereas in the previous game all the items a character carried where lumped in one list, now there are separate lists for weapons, armour, etc. In spite of all the choices, it is surprising how logically they can be accessed. You can also use the function keys to access the characters, and apart from that you don't really need to use the keyboard at all, save for the tab key, which allows you to save, load, etc. It is always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the interface, clicking here and there and looking at your characters closely, sort of getting to know them. The deeper you get into this game the more you'll get out of it. It pays to be patient and thorough. At the start of the game, armed with the very vague task of righting wrongs, I took my first timid steps and clicked on the first tent I came to. Ah, that's better - you get your first task. The story will unfold as you progress, which is as it should be. Like reading a book, you know. Don't you worry, you'll be given plenty to do. I started exploring the town and after wandering around for ages I was staggered by the shear size of the game. And you must look at just about everything - for instance, click on the ornamental trees and you will find gold or items! You must explore the town thoroughly and find out where everything is. Get clicking and don't miss a thing! As soon as you complete the first task you will collect your reward and be given your next one. There is no end to them. How exciting! You might as well know that this version is a great deal harder than the previous one. I have not yet come across any mind-boggling puzzles, but I dare say I will. The system seems to be that each town has problems you have to solve, but you get a lot of help. May be we are being let in gently! However, you have problems enough with the monsters which, from the start, are no pushover. This is not a game you can breeze through - it should be taken slowly and thoroughly and it should be savoured at leisure. I can promise you that you will have hours, days, months of brilliant play. Just think of all the monsters you will have to slay, the mountains of loot you are going to find and the hideous puzzles you will have to solve. And all in glorious graphics and with stunning animation! Oh, ah, yes, and sound too. Sorry, I am visually-oriented. This has got to be the best RPG I have ever played, from whichever angle you want to look at it. You MUST have it - don't miss it. AMAZON - GUARDIANS OF EDEN Animated Adventure by ACCESS I have found myself lately saying that some computer game sequences are like watching TV. Access has gone to great lengths to make this game look like a film and, in parts, has actually succeeded. The digitized pictures, speech and animation are really quite something. You must see it to believe it. The whole thing is treated as a serial, in chapters; don't miss the next one, coming to your monitor soon! Having cut my teeth on Countdown, and later on Free D.C., I am quite spoiled as to these effects. Sure, the visual side of it is very impressive indeed. But I was looking forward to another exciting adventure and this certainly looked promising. The story is great, and there are all those lovely problems to solve. This product even has on-line hints for those awkward moments when you just don't know what to do next. But don't get excited - you only get so many hints, so don't use this option unless you are really desperate or you will find that they dry up when you most need a little nudge in the right direction. Of course, you could cheat: save the game, get all the info and then reload. But you wouldn't cheat, now, would you? The interface looked terribly simple. You get a large, uncluttered screen with just a line at the bottom with all your options. Working with the mouse, it turned out to be a nightmare. The character was unmanageable and, when quick action was needed, it was impossible. Then I discovered the trick. Handle the character's movements with the arrow keys and use the mouse for the actions, and the whole thing becomes as easy as falling off a log. So, another great game from Access, and the closest we have come yet to being in a movie. You've just got to see this one, even if you hate adventures. WAXWORKS Horror Animated Adventure by ACCOLADE/HORRORSOFT Lovers of the Elvira series will also love this one. Brilliant graphics, wonderful animation and gruesome sights. Doesn't the thought make you shudder? Although the images on your screen will take a lot of beating, I still think the first Elvira had the most beautiful graphics I have ever seen in a computer game. The second was very similar, but Waxworks doesn't quite match such perfection. Nevertheless, a visual treat - like most Accolade products. Although this game has nothing to do with Elvira, it will look terribly familiar to those who have played the two previous products, at least in regard to the graphics, interface and general tenor of the story. The introduction is suitably scary. You have come to your uncle's Waxworks in answer to a letter he left with his lawyer. As soon as you enter his assistant gives you a crystal ball which immediately tells you what you are supposed to do. After that, you are ushered to the first tableau, and Egyptian burial. Enter it, and you have started your hunt for the evil twin. There are four different tableaux covering different epochs and places and you progress from one to the other in your quest to destroy the ancient curse. For each one, you have a specific task to carry out. When you've solved them all, you will enter the final tableau. As soon as the first part of the game starts, in the Egyptian tomb, you will see the setup. The view is first person, so-called 3-D, and the environment is so beautifully drawn that you could fancy yourself actually there. First, you will notice in the upper left hand corner an icon of yourself, presumably to remind you that you are in ancient Egypt. The icons to the right represent, left right, up down, your carrying suitcase, the direction icon which can be invoked so that you can see which way you are heading, the hand icon with which to take objects (click on it and place it on what you want and then drag the item to the suitcase icon); the next icon allows you to equip whatever weapon you are carrying. It is a good idea to arm yourself as soon as you are able. Click on the weapon and choose "use". The crystal ball icon allows you to get in touch with Uncle. Because this drains your psychic points, you save your game at the outset, use this icon, get all the information you want and then restore your game. Once you have acquired some papyrus scrolls, Uncle can turn them into healing spells. This is the only way you can restore hit points at first. The last icon of the first group is for fighting. Click on this and your hand and weapon will appear. To fight, you merely point and click at your opponent: where you actually click on the screen in relation to the enemy will determine what kind of blow you deliver. You just have to practice to see which form of attack is most effective. The two icons below this main group indicate PAUSE and the DISK allows you to save, quit or restore. Under the main part of the screen, in which all the action takes place, there is a window which shows what you are carrying. Left and right of that, your status and that of the enemy you are fighting to tell you how combat is progressing. Rather silly, really, when one has to concentrate on chilling out the other fellow - fast. Although the interface is not all that easy and it takes a bit of getting used to, nevertheless one does, quite quickly. You can advance or retreat, or turn, by merely pointing the arrow in the direction you want to go and clicking. If you click on an object, you will be given the options - EXAMINE, OPEN, LOOK IN, etc. Keep the button pressed and the hand icon automatically appears, so that you can drag an object to your suitcase icon and/or into your inventory. So now that you know how to handle the interface, all you have to do is to explore each location, mapping as you go. Oh, for an automapping option! There are oodles of items to pick up, some useful, most not. Be very choosy - if necessary, don't take anything you are not sure about, but make a note of where the items are so that you can go back to collect them should you need them. Otherwise you'll find yourself carting a lot of stuff around that you cannot ditch. There are many fights to be had, uncomfortably realistic I might add, and also many gory ends. Your path is strewn with traps, so keep your eyes peeled. Though, of course, it is quite fun to see the various ways in which one can get slaughtered. The puzzles are not as easy as in Elvira, and the penalty for not solving some of them is spectacularly bloody. They range from well-loved old chestnuts, such as "use tuning fork to shatter glass", to brain-teasers, quite a novelty in this type of game. Uncle is ever at hand to help, though he won't actually solve the puzzles for you. Great game, even if this isn't your scene. Don't expect much humour, unless you think it is hilarious to see mutilated bodies galore! A strong stomach, by the way, does help - the squeamish should abstain. KING'S QUEST VI - HEIR TODAY AND GONE TOMORROW Animated Adventure by SIERRA Those of you who have faithfully followed King's Quests from the very first one will be reminded forcefully by this version of the changes that have taken place in technology. Because, although the things that attracted us about these games were the plot and the jolly puzzles, nevertheless we can take any amount of visual and audio wizardry. Well, we've had all of those, already. So, what's new? I'll tell you. The backgrounds are no longer still! Yep, they move a little. Apart from that, it is the same delightful blend of visual and mental joys. When you watch the introduction you will wonder if you are looking at your computer or a TV set. It is that good. See for yourselves! The pictures are just as finely crafted as we have come to expect from Sierra and the interface must be, by now, very familiar to everyone. If one was new at this, nevertheless one would find it very easy and logical. Using a mouse, just choose the action with one mouse button and click with the other to perform it. And if you still have problems, there is a neat little help program to take you through the paces. There is also a walkthrough to initiate the new comers, which is rather thoughtful. Don't expect any surprises in the plot (but then, surely nobody is looking for any), it's just the old routine of handsome prince going to the rescue of beautiful princess (how come princesses are NEVER cross-eyed, ginger-haired and bow-legged?). Sit back and enjoy a stroll through Wonderland, having a nice time and solving puzzles. Only, this time, they are rather mean! For instance, right at the beginning when your character is stranded on the beach, don't just walk away. You will see the signet ring immediately, all right - but will you think of moving the large piece of wood laying on the sand? Also, there are various ways of solving the game. The easiest, to call it that, is rather limited and you are left with a lot of items you didn't use and places you didn't see. That is rather unsatisfactory, specially because, having played it through, I can assure you that there are no logical means of accessing these areas of the game or finding the vital items. As well, the order in which you do certain things affects some outcomes, and therefore you are obliged to play certain sequences several times to find out the best way to act. And you don't necessarily do so. Uncertainty seems to be the flavour of the month at Sierra. In spite of these limitations, here is another tremendously enjoyable romp. You'll love it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ___ _________________ ___ __ / _ \/ __/ ___/ _/ _/ / _ \____/ /_ / _ /\ \/ /___/ /_/ / / _ / __/ __/ /_//_/___/\___/___/___/ /_//_/_/ \__/ With the quality ASCII art I've seen recently I thought it fitting that a section in -=VOId=- should be devoted to it.. so hey presto. This issue I've gathered... rather than been sent the ASCII art, so all you budding ASCII artists lets see what you can do. This weeks installment is (in my opnion.. bearing in mind my strange sence of humour) a funny collection of owls! :) Enjoy. ___ v v v ___ ___ <*,*> <*,*> <*,*> <`,'> <*,*> [`-'] [`-'] [`-'] [`-'] =^`-'^= -"-"- -"-"- -"-"- -"-"- " " owl punk owl owl with antlers chinese owl flying owl ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ <+,+> <@,@> <*,*> <-,-> <$,$> [`-'] [`-'] [`-'] [`-'] [`-'] -"-"- -"-"- -"--- -"-"- -"-"- drunk owl owl junkie one legged owl shrewd owl greedy owl ___ ___ _|||_ /_\ <#,#> <*,*> <*,*> [`-'] [`-'] [`-'] [`-'] -"-"- -"-"- -"-"- -"-"- T-V owl owl with glasses owl with top-hat owl with fez ___ ___ _____ _ <*,*> <*,*> /o \_/ | * * [`-// [`o'] [ _ | "owl" -"-"- -"-"- `-----' `-' owl with sling medalion owl surreal owl owl in cave owl ___ ___ OWL <*,-> <*,*> ___ ___ [`-'] [`S'] <*,*> <*,*> -"-"- -"-"- [`-'] [`-']MOM confidential owl super owl -"-"- -"-"- Owl with Owl with ^__^ OWL on its MOM tatoo on (- 0) head right wing | \/ | big owl watching little owls \ / \/ And their country cousins, ___ v <*,*> <*,*> [`-'] [`-'] -"-"- -"-"- * | * | owl punk owl taking taking a a dump whiz O o o ___ ___ ___ |_| <*,*> <\,/> < > <*,*> [`-'] [`-'] [ v ] [`-'] -"-"- -"-"- -"-"- -"-"- Holy owl Satanic owl Owl from behind Martian Owl ___ ___ ___ ___ <-o-> <*,*>_<*,*> [`-'] [`-'] [`-'___`-'] -"-"- -"-"- --"-----"-- Tired owl Sad owl Siamese owl(s) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A Quick and Dirty Guide to FTPing or Why I Had to Buy Another Hard Drive by Perfectly Normal 96jmr@williams.edu This is just meant to be a quick introduction to the sometimes mysterious world of ftp. If you are already an old hack, just skip it, otherwise, you may find this useful. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and it is one of the fastest ways to become a true e-mail addict. Using ftp allows one to log onto file archives all over the world and grab files including everything from games, to utilities, to song lyrics. (This guide is written for a generic sparc station, once you are at a ftp site everything should make sense, but if you're working out of Super Spiffy Shell Ver 5.08 this might not apply at first). The first thing to do when ftping is decide on a site. Some of my favorites are: wuarchive.wustl.edu (Probably the largest) ftp.funet.fi (In Finland) ftp.uwp.edu (Great for games) oak.oakland.edu (Because) Once you've chosen a site simply type: (">" represents a prompt from now on) >ftp wuarchive.wustl.edu If you are already in ftp, you should type: ftp> open wuarchive.wustl.edu Your should then be prompted for your name. Type "anonymous" ( ftp is also often accepted as a name ) Next you will be prompted for your password. Use your e-mail address for a password. For example, I would type: password>96jmr@williams.edu Usually you can ward off carpel-tunnel and abbreviate this to just: password> 96jmr@ The site already has your address. Placing a dash before you name: password>-96jmr@ will turn off all the special messages that are posted in various directories. (occasionally you will be shut out of an ftp site if there are already too many people using it, just wait a little while and try again.) Congrads, you are now at the ftp site. How do you move around? -------------------------------------- "ls" lists the files and directories in a current directory. (I recommend using something like "ls -sF" which will show the file sizes in kbytes and distinguish between files and directories automatically) Usually, the first place you want to go to is "pub" for public. Use "cd" to change directories. eg. ftp> cd pub Use "cdup" to back up a directory and "pwd" to see where you are. How do you get files? ------------------------------- When you find a file you want: 1) THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT If it is a binary file (such as a .zip file) type "bin" before doing anything else. This will make sure you don't download that super duper game as an ASCII text file. The terminal should respond with "Type set to I" 2) Then simply type "get file-name" 3) When it says it is done, the file will be in your home sun account. Notes: "Get" does not accept multiple files or wildcards. To use those you need to use "mget" for "multiple get". "Mget" will prompt you for each file in a group you specify; use "Ctrl-C" to terminate a transfer. eg. To get all of the gifs in a directory: ftp>mget *.gif To eliminate those annoying mget prompts use the -i switch when ftping. eg. >ftp -i wuarchive.wustl.edu Also, remember unix is case sensitive. "README" is different from "readme" How do I be a nice person and upload? -------------------------------------------------------- Same as get, but use put. There are usually specific areas in which you are to upload. How the hell do I get out of this thing?!? --------------------------------------------------------- Just type "bye" or "quit" Advanced Tips: 1) To access a command back at your regular account, prefix the command with an ! This is particularly useful for reading indexes. eg. ftp> get 00-index.txt ftp> !less 00-index.txt (One can use any file reader: more, pg, cat, in place of less.) ftp> !rm 00-index.txt (Cleanliness is next to Godlessness, hmmm perhaps that's a misquote...) If you spend over five minutes reading a text file, however, your ftp session will timeout and you will have to log on again. 2) When downloading a bunch of large files, get the process started; then, type Ctrl-Z to return to your regular account. Type "bg" to keep downloading in the background, and go ahead and do whatever else you feel like doing. A quick "ls -l" will let you look at the current file size of your download. The ftp site will notify you when it is done downloading. Then just type "fg" to return to the ftp site. 3) "get" actually takes a local and remote file. This can be particularly useful when you are getting a DOS file that contains more than the standard number of letters in the filename. You could get the file and then rename it, but you can easily do it in one step while downloading it. eg. You want to get the file: IncredibleToons.Binary.Demo.zip ftp> get IncredibleToons.Binary.Demo.zip toons.zip (file at ftp site) (how it will show up in your home dir) Hope you found this useful, happy ftping! PS. Want to know every last nit-picky detail? There is always "man ftp." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Back Issues and FTP'ing -=VOId=- A few of you masocists ('xcuss the spelling!) have asked for back issues of this fantastic creation.. well I'm working on getting VOId plonked onto a regular FTP site somewhere so you can FTP back issues till your hard drive will take no more! Where and when is still not clear at this moment in time.. but look out for details in the next ish! :) Now that is something to look forward to eh?! :-) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PARTING thanks and last words The thanks for helping with this issue go out to the following people... Many thanks to Lu Richardson Perfectly Normal Alistair Stuart Beale (for your support!) Matt E. Thurston for support -=VOId=-. Hopefully I'll have a couple of more names to plonk on the thanks list.. it could well be YOU! All you have to do is to send in an article, ASCII or anything else you fancy. :-) Thanks for reading -=VOId=- once again and I look forward to seeing you all in the next fine issue. BTW sorry for any spelling mistakes and/or other mistakes however this issue was produced in rather a hurry due to time restrictions. Next issue I promise, will be bigger, better and largely a whole lot better presented! Take care Phil (editor)