' Welcome to issue one of ShareWorld'Magazine - "The international diskmag'for Amiga shareware authors and the'discerning user." And why not? We've'stuff from three continents here which'makes this a world magazine in my books'and that fits in with my outlook'perfectly thank you very much. There'll'be no narrow parochialism in this mag I
can assure you.' So why yet another Amiga diskmag?'Well once again, why not? The other'reason though is that I, (the editor -'or Carl Read if you must), produced'seven issues of a diskmag called Amy PD'and Shareware Review which was'supposedly for the benefit of PD and'shareware users but attracted much more'interest from those actually producing'the stuff. Thus Amy PD died and in it's'place is a magazine aimed directly at'those producing Amiga shareware,'thinking of doing so or just interested
in it.' Amy PD was a (failed) attempt at a'commercial magazine and for that reason'this new mag is freeware and non-profit'making. A high standard will still be'aimed at but as anyone can submit'articles for the magazine the quality'of the writing may vary somewhat,#though that should be half the fun.' There's a serious side to the'magazine though and that is to promote'Amiga shareware and to hopefully help'raise it's rather variable standard by'a sharing of ideas between shareware'authors. The old hands may prefer to'let the newcomers learn things the hard'way but this is false thinking in my'view. Shareware customers who get a'poor service from a producer new to the'game may be put off ALL Amiga'shareware. Just because a new author's'enthusiastic and talented doesn't mean'they've got a clue about how to treat'customers. The sooner these new'producers get up to speed the better it
will be for all concerned.
'
[35mDon't Skip This Part!
' So dear reader, this brings us to'you. Yes, the magazine needs your'submissions. For this issue there was'plenty of software received for review,'more than enough pictures, (it could'have been a full, two disk issue), but'not many articles and reviews I'm
afraid.' Here's a few quotes from some of the'letters I've received. No names of'course and most of these people have'contributed to the mag in one way or'another so it's not a criticism of them'in any way. They do though give an idea'of the general thinking out there that'makes it so hard to get anything new'off the ground unless you're willing or'stupid enough to do it all yourself. So'here goes... "I would like to write a'few articles, though I am not too sure'what on yet (I'll decide after I have'read issue one.)" The chicken and egg'problem. "If you would like me to write'a specific program for you, please ask,'your very own diskmag writer for'example (Just supply me with a full'specification, this will be at no cost'to you)." It's ARTICLES that are'needed, ARTICLES!!! Much quicker to'write than a mag-maker. "If the mag'looks like being a success then I may'write something for it." Chicken and'egg again. "I hope the shareware mag'goes ahead. I've got a couple of ideas'for articles, if I find the time I'll'write them, happy to contribute to a'good cause." A fair excuse. "I was a'bit stumped on what to write about for'the shareware mag. I could spew out'bucketfuls about my own software etc.,'but I don't see much point." Go ahead -'spew it out! We want to read it believe'it or not. And seeing the point's the
editor's job - not yours!' I also received during the run up to'this issue letters of up to six pages'long from shareware authors, which,'with a bit of editing, could have been'chopped up into an article or two just'right for the mag. Think about it. If'you're a shareware author, don't you'read any article about it you see? You'think others are not the same? Of'course they are and they'll read what'you write. Don't stop the long letters'though people - I like them. But just'think after you've typed them whether'some of their contents are of general'interest and would be suitable as a'letter to the editor or as an article.'None of you are boring people you know,"despite what Andrew Woods may say.
$
[35mReviewers Needed
' More reviewers are needed too. Other'than me, (who's totally burnt out when'it comes to reviewing stuff), the mag'has one other reviewer in this issue'and another who's made the offer and'who I'm sure will deliver if time'permits. I've done a lot of reviews'myself this issue, (too many), but'still there was software submitted that'wasn't reviewed. Ideally no one should'be asked to review more than one or two'pieces of software an issue. So if'you'd like to be a reviewer then get in'touch - and fast as the software will'have to be sent to you and then you'll'have to review it and send it back and'only then can your review finally be'put in the magazine. I've a solution to'this round-a-bout way of doing things'though and that's to have the authors'send their software direct to the'reviewers. As this will mean the need'to have the reviewers' addresses in the'magazine, please let me know what you'think of this idea. This method will'have to wait until the next issue
though.
'
[35mYour Shareware Please
' We also need software to review (of'course) so send in your latest'shareware. The sooner the better too -'see the previous paragraph as to why.'But please though, no more registered'versions as it means I can't pass them
on to others for reviewing.
#
[35mPretty, Pretty
' More of your own pictures are wel-'come, and your music too. This mag'could easily be a two disk affair this'issue but until there's a good number'of reviews, columns and articles, (by'other than the editor), it's going to'remain on the one disk. I'd prefer to'have a range of artists appearing in'each issue instead of just three or'four pictures from one person, so'spreading out your pics over a few"issues is what will likely happen.' The pictures that make the cover'have to be non-overscan to allow room'around the outside for the mag's name'and such. And regarding the cover'picture, anyone who would like to do'issue two's cover title and the other'info please give it a go. (Using the'overscan edge space only. It'll be the'Sept. or Oct. issue so do two versions'with different dates.) Ditto for a'flash Welcome screen. If you'd like to'do the buttons at the bottom in your'own style as well then feel free. They'must be simple though as they have to'be included in EVERY text article and'graphics that are too complex waste'precious disk space. Eight colours is'the maximum for the buttons, (prefer-'ably four), and that has to include'black and white, while sixteen colours'can be used for the rest of the Welcome'page. The buttons are part of the'Welcome page so you'll have to use the'one palette for both. Do a second'picture too with all the buttons IN.'You can save the Welcome screen from'within the magazine to get the correct'sizes of the buttons. Don't change'their sizes and don't bother re-'designing the little buttons in the'menu bar as they're stuck like that I'm
afraid.
"
[35mComms Users
' As I'm not a modem owner, I'd also'like someone reliable in New Zealand'with an E-Mail address (or whatever) to'operate as a collection point for'articles sent via Comms. The important'word in that sentence is "reliable".'Any of this "I'm sorry I haven't'written to you for seven years but I'find it so difficult to put a disk in'an envelope since I went on-line and I'might get run over if I try to walk to'the post box and I've forgotten where'it is anyway and come to think of it'I'm not too sure of the way out of the'house anymore either" is really not'quite good enough. As you'll be'handling other people's stuff, you'll'have to try and meet a deadline - even'if the editor himself can't. Posting'one disk a month is the most you'll'have to do I suspect. (For the benefit'of those who haven't had anything to do'with those who've gone on-line, posting'one disk a month represents an enormous'workload for your average comms user.)'An equally reliable comms user in'Australia and the UK and Europe would'be helpful too and perhaps Canada and'the good old US of A would like to get'in on the act as well? Honest, long'standing shareware authors would seem'to be the right type of people for this
"
[35mNew Readers
' If you're new to a CyberCraft'diskmag, please don't let that put you'off sending any submissions in. I found'with Amy PD that I really had to go'looking to get people interested in it'- which makes it very hard to get a'good number contributing to a magazine.'In other words, new writers are esp-'ecially welcome. With one exception,'every person who's contributed to this'issue I had to get in touch with first!'So don't be shy in making a submission'- the magazine's your oyster! (Yeah,'the editor could do with an editor now
and then too.)' That covers most of the begging I'can think of for the moment, but see'the Submissions column too please'before you send stuff in. I know most'of this should have been in a separate'article but the issue's already late'and I'm having trouble squeezing#everything into this disk as it is.
[35mThanks
' This first issue may be a bit short'of articles by people other than the'editor but over ten have contributed to'it in their various ways so thanks to'you all. Special thanks also to Rodney'Entwisle for the cover picture and'especially his fun clip art, which have'given the look of the mag a bit of a
lift. Hope you enjoy Ted.
'
[35mThe End Of Commodore?
' I guess I should have done an'obituary on Commodore somewhere in the'magazine but I've not been in the mood.'Thanks though to the Amiga hardware and'software designers at Commodore who'turned this computer into a thorough-&bred that real people can produce real&software with. It was the first home&computer with multi-tasking, a colour&WIMP screen, (remember that term!?!),&stereo sound and a blitter. PCs may&have caught up in lots of ways, (if&you get the right add-ons), but can&they save their anims direct to a&video recorder? Well I don't know,&perhaps they can. But what the heck, I&ain't buying one. Thanks for the sweat
and the vision people.
%
[35mAmigas Everywhere?
& Whether Samsung or someone else has'bought into the Amiga at this point in'time I wouldn't know but of the rumours'I've heard one of the most interesting'was that the Amiga technology may be'licenced. This may or may not be a good'thing for the computer side of things,'but it could be the making of the CD32.'It's the high-end machine in the games'market today and easy to upgrade. (Just'add more ram and a faster processor and'still your old games will run - with a'bit of luck.) Add to that the fact that'it can play audio CDs and CD movies,'and you've the ultimate kid's bedroom'entertainment console. (If only the CDs'were writable!) If the machine was'licenced and Amiga was promoted as a'standard it could do to Sega and'Nintendo what all those PC clones did'to IBM and Apple. Time will tell - and
aren't we all sick of waiting!
$
[35mAmiga Down Under
' The demise of Commodore has already'had it's affect here in Australasia'with one local Amiga paper mag, Amiga'Down Under, going back to a bi-monthly'due to their advertisers being a bunch'of nervous Nellys. See the article'about it elsewhere in this mag. Share-'World's a week or so late too due to,'umm, err, now what was it? Oh yes,'that's right - Commodore's downfall.
Yeah, that's it. Ahem.
*
[35mWhat's To Read Here Anyway?
' So what's in the mag? Well there's'reviews of course and kind of featured'is fiction for some reason beyond my'comprehension. There's also articles on'this and that and I've also'"interviewed" a brace of Andrews.'Entwisle also has his say on icons and'animations and I have mine on my first'encounter with Blitz 2. (Yes folks,'I've really bought it. How's that for'optimism considering the state of'affairs surrounding the Amiga at the'moment? Your editor's nothing if not'brave!) There's also some files about'ASP - the Association of Shareware'Professionals. Worth a read even if'you're not interested in joining. Hope'there's enough in it anyway to generate
some real interest and support.
&
[35mNarrow Parochialism
' As a New Zealand Amiga user, I'd'just like to give a little praise to'the makers of the computer animations'on a local TV comedy show, "Skitz",'airing on TV3 on Thursday nights.'They're using Amiga 4000s (and Imagine'I guess) to produce 3D anims with quite'a bit of style. Very wisely they've'resisted the temptation to go head to'head with the Sega adverts and instead'are producing non-raytraced anims with'a real cyber-space look to them. (I'suspect a deadline can be thanked here'for their cut-down-to-the-bone look.'Deadlines are a great teacher I can
assure you!)' From Virtual Vern, who wanders'around wearing nothing but a VR helmet,'(while we see him walking through a'fitness centre, he's seeing and'reacting to a 3D view of a torture'chamber), to the Buzzy Bee with an'attitude, it's the best Amiga advert'never to appear on our telly. Couple'that with some of the better local'comedy sketches to appear on New'Zealand TV, (like I laugh at them,'instead of cringe), and you've got a'Kiwi Monty Python for the nineties.'Catch it now people - before it's only'available on video. (After they cancel'it because it's much too good to rate'in NZ, or they cut back on expenses -
such as the animations.)
$
[35mEchos Of Paihia
' If this issue's music sounds fam-'iliar it may be because you heard it in'the ADU coverdisk of Amy PD. This'version is the full, un-shrunk samples'version however. Don't worry if you'don't happen to like it as it's'composer assures me this is quite'normal for many people. Consider it a'feature. I like it because I can hear'the thought that went into it. I'm past'the knowing what I like phase now I'guess. (Is this why people put up with$my reviews of their stuff I wonder?)
[35mFinally
' I'm starting to wander so I'd better'finish this way too long editorial.'Read the issue, fill out the question-'naire, (didn't I tell you about'that? Oh well, find out about it for'yourself), and get those submissions in'pronto! There won't be a third issue'unless there's a decent amount of'articles from you this time. Expect'issue two in the first week of Septem-'ber or October - which depends on you.
So get typing!
Enjoy the issue.
'Carl Read - CyberCraft - 9th July 1993.
~~~~~'What follows was originally an article'but to save space it's been stuck on!the end of the editorial instead.
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
' ShareWorld Magazine is the best name'I could come up with for this diskmag'and I'm not too happy with it. So if'someone can thing of a better one I'll$quite happily give it a name change.' I asked for titles in the last issue'of Amy PD but Andrew Woods was the only'one who came up with any. I guess he'needs the practice. Anyway, I rejected'"Digital Agony/Ecstasy", (well wouldn't'you?), naming it after HIS old and'defunct diskmag, (if you want it res-'urrected Andrew, do it yourself),'naming it after his favourite band of'all time - which I'd never heard of, (a'New Romantics no-talent outfit headed'by a Steve Strange if you please),'naming it Yo!, which is sure to date'real quick, and naming it Shareware'World which, with a bit of playing'around with, is where the mag's name'actually did come from. Thanks Andrew,
and yeah, I'm boring too.' I toyed with calling it Shareware'International but it sounds more like a'shareware distribution company and'sticking Magazine on the end would have
made it too long.' Good things about ShareWorld Mag-'azine as a name is that it can be'abbreviated to ShareWorld without'losing it's meaning and it has SW in'it's title. Bad things are that it's a'bit bland and has a bit of an unfort-'unate acronym, though perhaps appro-'priate for the gratification some Amiga'shareware authors get when they first'try to market their software. It's also'a name that KindWords3 refuses to'remember for reasons only known to
Digita International.' Those who want to have a crack at'renaming the mag should try for a nice'and snappy name that reflects the lot'of Amiga shareware authors. Then again,'if you like the mag's present title'then say so before it DOES get changed.
~~~~~
Postscript.' It was almost called "Carl and the'Andrew Sisters" but wiser council'prevailed as more contributors sent in their stuff. A close one though!
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