========================================= QBasic Gazette e-vol. 1, no. 3 ========================================= Okay, okay, sue me, I'm a little late on this issue. But things have been busy down at NeoZones... so many things to do... files, ask tek, CodeX, et cetera, and so on. Enjoy the issue, and check below for addresses/urls to submit stuff/drop a line. Oh, and by the by, NeoZones has moved! It's at http://neozones.quickbasic.com/ if you've been living under a rock for the last month or so! =) Also, I'm still trying to make this one of the most widely read publications out there, please tell all your friends to sign up! (either at http://qbasicgazette.listbot.com or at NeoZones), thanks! ========================================= Contents ========================================= * Article So many newsletters, so little time! * Reviews A look at DirectQB * Links in the Spotlight The Games Programming Megasite * News & Announcements February CodeX winners Qlympics main event coming SOON! Or is it? Want to promote your website? QBasic programmer seeks... The ELITE QBasic Top 50 * Info/Contacting/Submitting ========================================= Articles ========================================= * So many newsletters, so little time! by Tek You've seen them around. You've checked them out. Now it's time to sit down and have a little look at the more prominent newsletters out there. There's the ever-popular QBasic: The Magazine, the newly formed QB Times, and of course, my own, The QBasic Gazette. What does each have to offer? QBasic: The Magazine (QBTM) has been around for quite some time now, you need two hands to count the number of it's monthly issues in HTML form, available at http://come.to/qbtm. Articles vary in contributor, but each issue likely covers or contains an ASM article by Petter Holmberg, some rantings or ravings by 19day, Enigma, or the other geek of the month, and the issue also features polls of the most popular programs being made, have been made, and games (same categories). Very good publication. The QB Times by Nightwolf and various authors, recently had issue #1 come out, but things are looking good already. The magazine is in HTML form, has quite a few writers, and is organized well. There isn't much to say right now except that you can visit the site at http://nwep.hypermart.net. And of course, there's my own QBasic Gazette. The email list by ListBot has almost 200 subscribers now. There are a number of HTML articles located on the site (I really need to get to writing them more often), and things are fine by me. Check it out and/or subscribe. Head over to NeoZones (http://neozones.quickbasic.com/) and hit the Gazette section. ========================================= Reviews ========================================= * A look at DirectQB, review by Tek For those of you who hate libraries and have no grounds for hating them other than the fact that you don't like beginners being able to get a head start on programs without understanding the underlying code, you might skip this section. Who knows. For starters, DirectQB is a library by Angelo Mottola of Enhanced Creations (http://echome.hypermart.net), and is now in version 1.5. (If it's not uploaded on the site, check the QBoard at Enhanced and take the link to the site that does have it, it seems that Angelo is having connection problems these days). Routines featured in the library are graphics routines (primitives and sprites and lots of variations on PUT), sound engine (.wav), font routines, mouse routines, joystick/gamepad routines, 3d routines (triangles/texture maps), palette routines, and the fact that it uses EMS for storage of layers (which can optionally be conventional memory if you wanna crunch a little extra speed). I personally use and like DirectQB. I also feel that I understand everything that's going on (well, I'd have to, being a veteran user of Blast! and before that using good 'ole PUT etc.). I suggest checking out the Enhanced Creations website for more info and to download. ========================================= Links in the Spotlight ========================================= * The Games Programming Megasite Although the banners and stuff sometimes get in the way of navigation, this site does have it all. (Not a QB section though). This site focuses primarily on Visual Basic, DirectX, DJGPP, and aspects of programming. I primarily enjoy this site for the vast amount of tutorials covering just about everything. The archive is organized quite well, and I think you will like this site. http://perplexed.com/GPMega ========================================= News & Announcements ========================================= * February CodeX winners For the CodeX challenge of February, to write the best database program, two winners were selected. Two you say? Well, there were so many choices for third place, I simply couldn't decide. So taking a different pace, I made two winners. Numero uno was Stewart Brown (Housefly), and his personnel type database. Nice program. * Qlympics main event coming SOON! Or is it? Many of us are anxiously awaiting the results of the Qlympics, but we need to realize just how popular that Qlympics has gotten. SonicBlue has TONS of files to sort thru, not to mention try and update his site as best he can. I say we cut Sonic some slack and let patience prevail. (Happy Sonic?) =) * Want to promote your website? Go to the QBBE at Nemesis Software, http://members.xoom.com/nemesis_/ * QBasic programmer seeks... QBasic programmer well-versed in programming seeks e-friend for creating QBasic programming company. E-mail: jleslief@yahoo.com * The ELITE QBasic Top 50 Have you ever wanted more exposures and hits to your site, but you don't have a lot of dough? AmpleWorks.com has done it again!!! We've begun "The ELITE Qbasic Top 50." It's straight to the point. Fair, Free, Updated every week ON TIME unlike other topsite services. URL: http://www.ampleworks.com/qbt50/index.htm E-mail: qbt50@ampleworks.com Administrator: Jeffrey Ferguson, Owner, AmpleWorks.com ========================================= Info/Contacting/Submitting ========================================= Submit an article for publication in the 'gaz, there is a handy submitter on the bottom of the QBasic Gazette page. Visit NeoZones (link at bottom) to get there. Suggestions/complaints/whatever can also be submitted there. For regular email, send it to me, Tek, at neozones@quickbasic.com. -- Tek & Contributors neozones@quickbasic.com http://neozones.quickbasic.com/