Letters Any letters or e-mails received on an adventuring-related topic may be reprinted in here unless marked 'not for publication'. ------------------------------------------------------------------ @~The emailed version of SynTax has proved popular and no-one @~had any problems receiving or unpacking it, though two @~readers got both disk and emailed versions! Ah well, I'll @~get a system eventually! Here are a few letters connected @~with it. First from: Steve Provost, Burnley, by email Thanks for issue 65 of 'e-SynTax' which arrived OK and took just 5 mins to download and unzip. In response to Neil Currie's letter re the cost of downloading large files, he might like to consider subscribing to one or more of the 0800 ISPs like X-Stream or IC24. - X-Stream www.x-stream.co.uk is a totally free 24/7 ISP offering up to 2 hours connection per session. I haven't managed to connect during the day yet, the best time seems to be late evening. - IC24 www.IC24.net offers 1 hour free connection between 9am - 5pm weekends at the moment but this may change. It can take quite a while to get through to both, however, but if you are prepared to wait it's well worth the effort and you can reconnect immediately after you have been logged off. There are no catches but you do need to register with them first. Check out www.net4nowt.com for the latest news on other free or flat-rate ISPs. @~I like the name e-SynTax - yup, I think we'll use it! Thanks for @~the info, Steve (and the name for the new format). -------------------------------------------------------------------- @~Someone else wrote about free IPs. From Brian Burke, Nottingham, by email With all these free Internet access offers going round at present I'm not too sure where I'm going to end up at present. I'm actually with NTL for my phone, & with Sky Digital for the TV, so that puts me in a bit of a dilemma for ADSL (principally MS Explorer) versus Cable Modem (primarily Netscape). Perhaps you could run a SynTax article on folk's' experience with free Internet Providers? @~Does anyone else have experience of free IPs? If so, please @~ring/write in/email for next issue and we'll do a round-up of @~them. -------------------------------------------------------------------- @~Now, following on from last issue, from: MerC, Hastings, by email Brilliant bit in this month's SynTax : ST emulator and Chaos Strikes Back. I've got it to work, but I can't for the life of me get it to save games. If you know anybody who also has disinterred this game, let me know would you? @~Can anyone help? -------------------------------------------------------------------- @~Now part of a letter from: Thomo, Middlesborough I always give a smile when I see adverts for building your own PC. I mean, nobody builds PCs nowadays, you assemble PCs. Years (eons) ago, one built a radio. You had to make your own chassis, drill holes for valves, resistors etc, solder on the components and wiring etc and hope like hell it worked. Then we got modernised and could buy printed circuit boards but still had to solder on the components. With both methods, god help you if you didn't have your trusty old multimeter. Now everything comes on a self contained board, buy the board and bung it in a case etc. So, one assembles. I have assembled my own plus another two for relatives and didn't have many problems, which just goes to show how reliable the components are. The problems I did have were because I bunged in everything in one go. Fatal. Advice to anyone deciding to have a go, one part at a time ... check ... next part ... check ... etc @~Yes, I'd been told that one part at a time was the best way @~to do it.. I have added components to my PC (it took me @~years to be confident enough to do that!) but not done one @~from scratch. I wonder how much easier it can get? -------------------------------------------------------------------- @~Now for a completely non-adventure related query David Hayward, London, by email I'm sure no-one has actually asked you this, but do you know of any software companies that offer part-time work, without needing to go to their offices? I want to get some experience in the computer industry, but I do not have enough spare time to be travelling to offices. However, I do have enough free time to work on projects during college lessons and my day off. If you know of any that offer this type of work, I would be grateful if you could supply me with their address. Thanks for any help. @~I couldn't help David but I hope someone else can. You can @~email him at dchayward@hotmail.com or write via me. -------------------------------------------------------------------- @~One particular article in the last issue caused a flurry @~of comments in response. Here is a letter received from: Jean Childs, Bagshot I thoroughly enjoyed your article 'Can You hear Me, Mother?' and Adrian's explanation of how we divide our attention. However I would love to hear his comments on the following: Many people I know, men and women, believe that women are far more capable of dividing their attention than men. Why? Adrian writes: Let's start with hormones; specifically the male hormone testosterone. This seems to have a lot to do with attention. For example, administration of testosterone has been shown to improve focusing of attention and to enhance the persistence with which an activity is continued. Genetically, therefore, it seems men are programmed for more sustained, single-minded attention than women. However, this still only gives us half the answer because there must be a reason for this genetic predisposition. It must have had an evolutionary benefit. To look for that we need to go back to the roots of human life, a world where man is the explorer, hunter and fighter. Here he faces life-threatening and risk-taking situations which require very focused attention in order to stay alive. In contrast, the female's traits are essentially the definition of what a mother is to her children: she nurtures, she does the care-taking, and she is responsible. She is also nurse, lover, housekeeper, organiser, cook, and home-maker. These are numerous tasks and, although vital, they hold less of the life-or-death risks that men face. This means, genetically, not only is it safer for her to be more capable of dividing her attention than the man it is also more useful in view of her multi-tasks. There are, naturally, variations between individual men and women but, as a generalisation, the above holds valid. Whether the predispositions are as fair or useful these days is another debate entirely and one I shall carefully not venture into. @~Jean also said: I think you misunderstood me about being a bit clearer in the magazine about what's on the cover disk. I meant a short comment as to what the files were, whether they be text adventures or utilities etc. The title doesn't necessarily give that information and if there is no review of it in the magazine it means having to unzip the file to find out what it is. Sorry! Just making a suggestion, not having a moan. As if I would. @~. I think I've got it 'right' this time. -------------------------------------------------------------- @~And finally, some help wanted from: Graham Raven, North Ferriby Are there any VB games programmers out there who'd be willing to let me bend their ear? The world's greatest epic RPG (I hope) has hit a tiny problem in its creation and I need advice. You can find me at Chris@raven.karoo.co.uk @~Please contact Graham if you can help. --------------------------------------------------------------- @~Thanks for all your contributions to this lively and popular @~section of the magazine! - o -