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Transcript of Formal Conference, October 1st, 1991.


.Gordie>
   I'd like to welcome John Barger, the Technical Director for GFA
   Software Technologies to DELPHI.  GFA is back and ready to totally
   support the Atari ST community in North America.  John, any opening
   remarks?

.John @ GFA>
   Well, yes.  I would like to say that I (as an ST user) and GFA (as an
   ST based company) are REALLY here to support the ST and hope to see it
   thrive.

.Kwai>
   Glad to hear that, John.

.John @ GFA>
   We have Plenty of support products for the Atari version of GFA-Basic
   and have discount prices for Atari owners.

HAIRMAN>
   What exactly is the GFA shell like?  Or aimed at? GA

.John @ GFA>
   It is a replacement for the MENU/MENUX program that comes with the
   basic.  It has many adavnced fetures like...  It has a GREAT user
   interface that is VERY intuitive.  Online help.  Control over ALL
   compiler and Linker functions.  Variable setting for repetitive
   compiles.  Many built-in disk utilities.  Switch from Med to Low res 
   (for a game or other low res program) and a few others.  Sound good?

HAIRMAN>
   Sounds real good!

DABRUMLEVE>
   Yes, John...  There is a wealth of source code available, but much of
   it is in tokenized .BAS format, and folks with only the newer GFAs
   can't use it.  Could GFA release a conversion program whose sole
   purpose is to load BAS/GFA files and then save them in .LST format?  GA

.John @ GFA>
   I'll see what I can do.  In the mean time.  GFA-BASIC is effectively
   PD.  You CAN use that.  But I will check on a Converter.  I think I
   heard about one out in the PD.  MAYBE?

DABRUMLEVE>
   GFA Basic, John?  PD?

.John @ GFA>
   Sorry.  GFA-BASIC 2.  Oops!  Slap my face!

DABRUMLEVE>
   Is it all right then if we distribute GFA 2.x to friends???

.Gordie>
   Gee, or upload it here?

.John @ GFA>
   Well..  Since Antic released in on their Disk, it is all over anyway.
   So we have just said go for it.

DABRUMLEVE>
   Gee.  Nice!  But even so, I hope you will pursue a .LST converter on
   all formats.  You see, a conversion program would help people convert
   across formats.  And GFA 2.x for the ST won't run on the IBM/Amiga.
   I was thinking of a conversion program that would be available in all
   formats.  GA

.John @ GFA>
   That is a GOOD Idea.  I'll see what I can do.

.Dana>
   John, first of all, welcome to Delphi....

.John @ GFA>
   thanks

.Dana>
   Just curious to know how the "new" GFA has been received since leaving
   MichTron and Antic?  GA

.John @ GFA>
   It is being received very well.  We had a "few" problems with Antic
   but most people Like (or Love) the BASIC so much that they waited for
   us to get that fixed.

.Dana>
   Glad to hear that GFA is back on the road again, with big success.
   GA  That's it!

.FizzySoftDrink>
   Ok, this will be my first of several questions for the night, I
   won't ask all at once :)  When will the GFA Basic Compiler be out for
   the IBM, and will an upgraded version of GFA Basic be included
   with it.  GA

.John @ GFA>
   The Windows 3.x compiler IS out. and the MS-DOS version will start
   shipping at the end of the month.  I think the compiler for MS-DOS
   will be intergrated into the Editor.  If so, an Interpreter Upgrade
   is there.  ga

HAIRMAN>
   What about asm in basic code??  ga  (asm= assembly language.)

.John @ GFA>
   It is great for the people that have PRE-WRITTEN ASSM code.  I don't
   use it a whole lot.

HAIRMAN>
   But how exactly is it done?  (I've never done it w/ basic.)

.John @ GFA>
   It is a little hard to explain in a chat mode.  It depends on exactly
   what you are doing.

HAIRMAN>
   ok.

.John @ GFA>
   What version of the BASIC do you have? ga

HAIRMAN>
   I don't use basic that much, I'm just interested.  I use C mostly.

.John @ GFA>
   Oh.  OK, it is fairly easy.  I use it for playing digitized sounds. ga

HAIRMAN>
   How about speed?  ga

.John @ GFA>
   John Jainschigg from Atari Explorer just did a review on GFA-BASIC.
   In his bench mark.  We were 5 TIMES FASTER than Mark Williams 'C'. ga

HAIRMAN>
   whaaa????

.John @ GFA>
   That's what I said.

HAIRMAN>
   Compiling or run time?

.John @ GFA>
   Compiled.  (Runtime.)

HAIRMAN>
   WOW!

.John @ GFA>
   You see GFA-BASIC is not basic...  GFA-BASIC is a MACRO-ASSEMBLER that
   has macros that LOOK like basic.

HAIRMAN>
   Oh, that explains it.

.John @ GFA>
   The programmer thinks he/she is using BASIC.  The computer sees ASM
   code. ga

.FizzySoftDrink>
   Ok, two more questions for ya.  (This may have been said earlier, I was
   a little late)  When is GFA Basic 4.0 for the ST supposed to come out,
   or is it at all?  And how about a Mac version of GFA, any plans?  GA

.John @ GFA>
   GFA-ST 4.0 does not have a final release date.  But, it will be some
   time next year.  A MAC version is looking VERY possible. ga

.Gordie>
   John, can you talk a little bit about the ability to use code from one
   platform on another platform?

.John @ GFA>
   Sure.  The idea with GFA-BASIC is to be able to write a program on the
   computer that you feel most comfortable with and be able to port this
   to another platform.  Before, the only REAL way to do this was with 'C'
   but 'C' for MS-DOS does not have the Atari's built in GUI functions.
   So, we made our own.  and I think the Programmers did a GREAT job!

HAIRMAN>
   Laser does....

.John @ GFA>
   They have Laser 'C' for MS-DOS?

HAIRMAN>
   Ida know.  I meant gui stuff.

.John @ GFA>
   What I meant was, with 'C' if you write a program for the Atari, you
   can not just port over ALL the GUI stuff to MS-DOS.  With GFA-BASIC,
   "OPENW" opens a window on the ATARI ST/TT, AMIGA, WINDOWS 3.x and
   MS-DOS.

HAIRMAN>
   You mean that if I wrote a program in GFA that used windows, it'd work
   anywhere?

.John @ GFA>
   Yep.  Barring any OS calls.  GEMDOS.  BIOS or XBIOS.  We made our own
   GRAPHIC GUI in MS-DOS.  It looks GREAT!  Kind of a cross between GEM
   and MS WINDOWS 3.0.  ga

HAIRMAN>
   Wow!  Neat.  GA

.Ron <ym>
   I use the ST version of GFA for my own projects (and love it), and
   purchased the PC version as well.  Where I work we had to convert
   some basic programs for windows and told them about GFA.  They bought
   a copy when it first came out, but found it to be quite buggy, and
   have switched to Visual Basic.  Almost all of my ST programs use GEM
   Dialog boxes, which do not directly convert to the PC.  My question
   is as follows:  Are there any plans for an analog of the Resource
   Construction Set for the PC or Windows versions, and how do the
   people where I work get the update to the Windows version?  (They
   haven't received any info yet, and they bought GFA directly from
   you).  BTW:  In my own comparisons, GFA is only slightly slower than
   Laser C, and only if Laser uses register variables. GA

.John @ GFA>
   If you have the first version of the WINDOWS BASIC.  There have been 3
   updates since then.  You will get a Free upgrade with the Compiler.
   Switching to VB will, more that likely, cause more headaches then it
   is worth.  The newest GFA-WINDOWS has a RSC that actually creates GFA
   code(as opposed to a RSC file.)  ga

.Ron <ym>
   Should we have received some sort of notification about the new
   version being available?

.John @ GFA>
   Not really.  It is being sent out on a first come/first served basis.
   You sould get it in a few weeks.  ga

.Ron <ym>
   Great.  I will look forward to it.  What problems should they expect
   with Visual Basic?

.John @ GFA>
   It is VERY slow. you CAN NOT call the serial ports.  Writing FULL BLOWN
   applications become incredibly hard.  ga

.Ron <ym>
   Hmmmm.... This application REALLY needs the serial ports.  Well, at
   least I'm not involved in using the VB stuff.  GA

.John @ GFA>
   VB just can not do it.  ga

.FizzySoftDrink>
   Does G-Shell come with source code?  And what can you tell us about
   GFA-Edit?

.John @ GFA>
   G-SHELL does not come with sorce code.  I don't think it ever will.
   I have never heard of GFA-EDIT.  Is it a text editor for GFA-BASIC
   or general purpose?  ga

.FizzySoftDrink>
   It's a general purpose text editor.  Made by GFA.

.John @ GFA>
   When/where did you hear about it?

.FizzySoftDrink>
   I saw it mentioned in the German magazine PD Journal.

.John @ GFA>
   I will check on it, but I don't think we ever released anything like
   that.  ga

.Ron <ym>
   On the ST, I can dimension an array as large as the available memory
   (up to 4 meg).  I've played with the PC version, and it seems to be
   limited to the 640K limit.  What's the limit for the MS Windows
   version, for one contiguous array?  Also, you'd better make sure that
   GFA-MAC works on Spectre!

.John @ GFA>
   MS-DOS in general is limited to 640K.  Most languages in DOS only allow
   arrays up to 64K.  The WINDOWS version allows up to free "WINDOWS"
   memory or 20megs, which ever is lower.  ga

.Ron <ym>
   Great.  One of my applications needs this.

MICKEYANGELL>
   Will GFA be at the WAACE Show. If so, can we upgrade there?  GA

.John @ GFA>
   I'm sorry no.  I want to go like you would not believe.  But it is
   too close to COMDEX.  For which, we are all ready obligated.  ga

.Gordie>
   This might be a good time to explain the upgrade procedure and prices,
   John.  Who do we call and how much do we send?  <g>

.John @ GFA>
   OK.  I will give all upgrade paths.
   -If you have 2.0(the real 2.0 with a book) the cost is $74.95
   -If you have 3.0 with out a compiler the cost is $64.95
   -If you have 3.0 and the compiler the cost is $49.95
   -If you have the Basic for one platform and want it for another, it
   other version is HALF PRICE!
   -The 2.0 upgrade includes the full package as you would buy it in a
   store.
   -The 3.0 without compiler upgrade includes 2 new chapters for the
   new commands and a compiler manual.
   -The 3.0 with compiler upgrade includes the 2 new chapters.
   -Some people with 3.0 have the OLD Michtron spiral bound manual.
   That manual was kind of hard to use, so if you have 3.0 and would like
   the new manual,  you can upgrade like the 2.0ers for $74.95.
   Of course that all includes the new 3.5 software.  ga
   <Whew!>

.Gordie>
   Hmmm.  What about the ads that are running that say, 'Upgrade now to
   Release 3.5 for only $49.95'?  Is that only from v3.0?  The wording of
   the ad is a little unclear.

.John @ GFA>
   Yeah, that ad assumes that you have 3.0 and the compiler.  Since we
   were unable to get a real registered owner list from Antic, we did not
   realize that there were so many GFA-BASIC owners out there with 2.0 or
   3.0 without the compiler.  Sorry.  ga

.Ron <ym>
   I just read a review of GFA for the PC in some new Basic Programming
   magazine (forget the exact name).  They thought it was real powerful,
   but their main complaints were about the manuals (GREAT in a few
   spots, REAL BAD in others), and about the lack of debugging tools
   (like a single stepper, break points, etc.)  Any plans on solving
   either of these problems?  (In the PC manual it doesn't seem to
   mention SHOWM and HIDEM, though when I ported an ST program they
   worked fine!  I wonder what else is missing.)  Also, how much to go
   from PC to Windows?

.John @ GFA>
   Well the guy that did that review, did not like GFA-Basic at all.
   According to him GUIs and mouse drive applications are a niche market
   and "real people" don't want to use mice.  So he REALLY didn't like us.
   The Big bullies "pushing" GUI down everyone's throat.  I guess he
   doesn't realize that Microsoft has sold 5 million copies of WINDOWS 3.0
   in the last year.

   We have some GREAT debugging tools.  like being able to use multiple
   monitors or multiple computers to trace your program.  We DO have Break
   points and the commands that were missing in your manual should be in
   the readme file and have been inserted into the newest manual.

.Ron <ym>
   I don't recall reading that.  It may have been a different review,
   though I didn't read it all the way through.  It was a review of GFA
   and of something called ZBASIC.

.John @ GFA>
   That is the same guy.  He did not say that in the review, but rather
   to ME on the phone.

.Ron <ym>
   Funny, since that magazine seems to be pushing Visual Basic.

.John @ GFA>
   I know.  It is amazing.  He is not a "true" employee of the Mag.  He
   is a freelancer.  ga

OZ1>
   I upgraded 3.0 for 3.5, the new manual, and MS-DOS versions, great
   stuff!  Will more be available on compatability differences between
   the ST and DOS?

.John @ GFA>
   I believe ABACUS is working on a Book right now.  I think the president
   of GFA-DATA MEDIA(in the UK) is working on one as well.  ga

HAIRMAN>
   I got some source code from the databases recently but none of it is
   ASCII.

.John @ GFA>
   Is it in 2.0 "BAS" format?  What is the extender?  XXXXXXXX.GFA or
   XXXXXXXX.BAS?

HAIRMAN>
   I think it was .GFA.

.John @ GFA>
   If it was XXXXXX.GFA you should be able to call it in directly to
   GFA-BASIC 3.0 or higher

HAIRMAN>
   I don't have GFA.

.John @ GFA>
   Oh.  Well...

HAIRMAN>
   But I would like to look at it anyway.  Would that converter thingy
   work?

.John @ GFA>
   I don't know what to say, except, find a friend with GFA.

HAIRMAN>
   Why not just use ASCII in the first place?  That's what standards are
   for.

.John @ GFA>
   D.A.BRUMLEVE was making a suggestion for a converter.  It is not a
   reality yet.

HAIRMAN>
   I know.

.John @ GFA>
   Because we save the code in a PSEUDO-ASSEMBLER format that makes loading
   faster and execution faster.  Otherwise, we would be as slow as every
   other BASIC.

.Gordie>
   I think the use of a tokenized 'save' is rather widespread.  But when
   someone uploads code here, it'd be nice to see it in ASCII.  I don't
   think GFA is breaking a 'standard' as much as the uploader might be.
   Just my observation, of course.

.Ron <ym>
   I just remembered: one BIG problem when I port a program between the
   ST and the PC is the character for end of line remarks is different
   in the two versions.  The ST uses ' and the PC uses !.  This means
   that I can't use remarks, except for REM full line ones, if I want to
   port my program without major editing.  Any good reason for this?
   Also, you going to the Chicago Show in Nov.?

.John @ GFA>
   I don't know. I think that will be changed in a future version.
   As for Chicago, I hope so.  I plan to.

.Ron <ym>
   Great.  ga

MICKEYANGELL>
   I had missed the remarks after the $49 flyer.  The flyer does not
   mention you have to have version 3.0.  It does say you have 30 days to
   order and has an 800 number.  I assumed I got this because I am a
   registered GFA 2.0 owner.

.John @ GFA>
   That was an oversite due to the fact that we did not get a registered
   owner list from Antic and there for did not realize that we had so
   many 2.0 users out there. GA

MICKEYANGELL>
   Does Maurice Giguere have any pull? The letter is sigened by him.

.John @ GFA>
   I hope so.  He is the President of the Company and my Boss.

MICKEYANGELL>
   I know he is the president. <grin>  Just hoping that your letter is
   correct.

.Gordie>
   John, you want to make a special offer for just those of us here
   tonight?  $49.95 to upgrade to v3.5 from any previous version?  <grin>

.John @ GFA>
   Gordie, SURE as long as that "ANY VERSION" is 3.0

.Gordie>
   Oh, fine, put conditions on it...  <g>

.Ron <ym>
   How about an upgrade for users of Turbo Basic XL on the 8-bit Atari?
   It was written by Frank Ostrowski, wasn't it?  (hehe)

.John @ GFA>
   ;}

.Gordie>
   hehehe

MICKEYANGELL>
   Is the upgrade a complete package or do I have to use a 3.0 manual
   or files?

.John @ GFA>
   $49.95 = you need 3.0         $74.95 = FULL PACKAGE.

.Ron <ym>
   What about upgrading GFA-PC to GFA-Windows?

.John @ GFA>
   $147.50 until November 15.  After that, $247.50.  It retails for $495.

.Gordie>
   (For GFA-PC to GFA-Windows?)

.John @ GFA>
   For GFA(any version) to GFA-Windows.

.Ron <ym>
   So it isn't an upgrade, but I would then be a registered user of
   THREE versions of GFA, right?

.John @ GFA>
   RIGHT.  It is a "Side grade"

.Gordie>
   hehehe

.Ron <ym>
   Maybe I'll see if I can buy the Windows version from where I work,
   since they aren't using it anymore.  (Before they discover problems
   with VB :)

.John @ GFA>
   hehehe

.Gordie>
   Any closing remarks, John?

.John @ GFA>
   Well. I guess just to say good night and if you want to talk to me
   (or someone else) call (508) 744-0201.

.Gordie>
   I want to thank you, John, for talking with us tonight, and want to
   welcome you again to the ST Advantage here on DELPHI!

.John @ GFA>
   Thanks, it was fun.

 **End of Formal Session**


