Diga!
34 messages in this thread
Brent,
I guess that I don't really consider it a bug, when you consider that remote
mode is really meant for others to call your system. I consider it an
enhancement that you can type into the remote mode at all. (You can always pull
the screen down and do anything you want on your own system.) Although I'll
admit that letting you enter anything but the password seems a bit odd! I am
glad that they plan to fix it in a future release (see other reply to your
message.)
There are, though, some real bugs in the program that can be quite annoying.
Try setting up your phonebook for dialing a system with vt100 mode, 24lines and
you get INSTANT LOCKUP, for exthe distribution disk has so much program on it
that they just happened to delete several things that are required for the
system to run. (No printer drivers for example. Try to print and the system
hangs.)
It's hard to complain about AEGIS putting on so much code that they had to
delete some system files, but, you'd think that at least they could tell you up
front about it instead of testing your ingenuity to see if you can figure it
out! (I for one, would rather have paid $3.00 more and gotten the extra's on
another disk and had a working DIGA! disk.)
I have gotten it to work with the remote user typing in the password. After
that, both of us could enter commands. One thing to beware of is that some (if
not all) of the commands are HOT, so it can be confusing if one expects to
enter a word followed by <CR>. (It's been a while, so I can't remember
exactly.)
All in all, DIGA! seems to be a nice package, that will probably be a lot nicer
in the next release.
David
That is, WHENEVER a "next release" comes from Aegis. With Diga! out for so
long, some of us wonder when Aegis will begin to show some signs of SUPPORT for
**this** product, or whether they will just keep coming out with products and
never upgrade the old ones!
Am I distressed that Aegis has even **hinted** at Diga! upgrades? YOU BET I
AM!
It's time Diga! owners put some heat on the developers, I'd say. Such serious
errors should NEVER have gone this long without an update, and my PD program is
still better for some of the features Diga! left out. Let's hope Aegis will
answer our call.
(Always an optimist?) JOHN
Hint. There is (and has been) a MAJOR Diga! upgrade in the works since the day
the product shipped. WXModem has been added as well as all the bug fixes and
features desired by all it's (Diga!s) users. Thanks…
That's nice. So, I can take mt (formatted) Diga disk and get an upgrade? Sure
would be nice. It was full of great ideas, at least as many great ideas as bugs
in the code. –Ben–
Gee… Yep VT100 and low memory operation were a real problem. Still Diga!'s
a really popular program that deserves to be upgraded. Biggest request we got
was WXModem. Now is not a bad time to send in those cards and letters.
so when if ever is an UPGRADE for diga! going to arrive USERS want a date not
wind!!! commit the company to a date
It looks like spring of '88. Diga! is (as you obviously know) a very
complicated program. We added some features (like CHAT windows, WXModem, and
improved macros) and yet have to keep the program near it's current size.
This is a very conservative estimate. It may arrive sooner.
well I sure hope so. I have had to stop using the program as it is unstable. If
it's release can be sooner how about this weekend at AmiExpo. (rolling on
floor laughing)
Heheheh. I like that. We are rolling out a new game (a good one) at AmiExpo.
It's called Ports of Call, and is a economic and physical simulation of
shipping. Real high level of play.
I particularly enjoyed the way Diga would GURU in the remote mode in the middle
of an xmodem upload; Also, the way that files would end up being some perfectly
peculiar size after a "successful" transfer under doubletalk. Non-functional
after such nonsense, of course. (With 1.5 mb, I might add – hardly a low memory
problem) It was also very interesting how, again under doubletalk, you might,as
the originator of a group of files, swicth directories, and it would lose all
cognizance of what you already told it you wanted to send. Good stuff. The
person who took that one out of the programmers hands and released it needs 6
months in a monastary. –Ben–
Well don't you think its about time that that 'planned' upgrade started
making its appearance. I know vendors have been raked over the coals about
giving release dates and then not living up to it, but do you think you can
give us a hint? Like might we expect it in this half of the year or next?
This quarter or next??? BTW, how long has it been since DIGA! made its
debut???
David Masterson
I won't give a date out that we aren't sure of. Aegis has been very carefull
on dates. We didn't even advertize VideoTitler or Ports of Call before they
shipped (Titler is out now, Ports of Call should be rolled out at AmiExpo).
I will say that the program has been worked on since it first shipped. I sure
would like to see a new version go out too…. but not before it's been
really, really tested (new features must be tested too…).
By the way – answered your email – but I think you were begging the issue to
email me and not deal with the problem here on the forum; That bit about time
to make those changes and so on… My email details specifically why,
too…Diga, if it _is_ actually a working project, should have been updated,
fixed, and passed out within 60 days at MOST to the people who bought it
assumung pardon me, Assuming that it worked. –Ben– (No more EMAIL!)
When does it ship, and when do we get notified? Doug Winger, 71001,1335
When we know about it, we'll notify registered owners. Now is a good time to
let us know about problems and suggestions.
Just make sure it runs without hogging the system. I like to work
in background, and can't do it with Diga! as is. Also, get the
d*mn download window out of the way! I like to see what I'm downloading,
as I keep a log of the size and time it takes.
Also, improve the documentation! I don't mind experimenting,
but finding things I don't know are there is a pleasure I can do
without.
Doug Winger, 71001,1335
The download window is going to be smaller and draggable. The documentation
folks didn't know about all the hidden features until the product was shipped,
a situation that won't happen again.
I've had some problems with Diga! freezing solid when I start a session from a
phonebook or from a script icon. The modem will dial, my call gets answered,
and Diga! stops dead. I can't even abort the script and start over. The only
solution is to reset the computer! I sure hope you will fix that, too.
Darron
Hmm.. Do you have XON/XOFF handshaking turned on? I understand that some
modems/systems send a CTRL-S on signon??? Also curious to your total system
setup (modem brand included). I use a phoneboox with script to log onto CIS
and don't get lockup, even when multitasking other programs. Let's get this
one fixed.
No, I wasn't using any handshaking. I had this problem with a 1000 with 1.5
Meg (Insider) and an Amiga 1680 modem. When I would start a session either by
double clicking a script icon or by using the phonebook dial button, the phone
would dial, the other side would answer, and then nothing would happen. I
noticed that the cursor would travel to the end of the line containing the
phone number and stay there, which doesn't happen when things go right. The
machine would hang and Diga! would respond to nothing, not even a menu or
keyboard command to abort the script or to quit. The only way to get out of
Diga! was to reboot. Strangely enough, I tried doing the same things again now
that I have traded the 1000 for a 2000 and no longer have the same problem. I
know I'm not smart enough to figure this one out.
Darron
QB protocol? CHAT window? Smaller program size?
Regards, Larry.
If I can get code to QB protocol it may get into the program. Is QB supported
thruout CIS? CHAT window is going to be there! I don't know if the program is
going to be smaller, I'll be happy if it doesn't get larger (it really can't,
if it wants to run on a 512K).
QB should be supported. It's a BIG improvement, and support for QB is worth an
upgrade in and of itself. CIS should be happy to provide the necessary
information on it.
But I also have a bunch of folks complaining about the size of Diga! and the
delay in getting the update out there. I even heard a rumor that we were
delaying it because of QB!!!! So I don't know if it's going to make it into
Diga!
Well, I understand that. I've watched several programs closely (Beta testing),
and I've seen how complex those decisions are as to what priority should be
given to each new feature.
But QB can save CIS users connect dollars. That makes that feature _very_
valuable to the audience you have here. Other developers have managed to
incorporate it quickly _while_ adding more features, and I don't think it will
add that much more code. (But I'm not a programmer, so take that with the
proverbial "grain of salt.")
But that's all I'll say. You're getting enough attention around here. You
don't need me picking on you, even though I _am_ a DIGA user. <grin>
Mike
Aegis is notorious for ignoring comments and suggestions from the largest
online Amiga community in existance. Don't expect QB in their update of Diga!
but do expect to see it in several fine pd/shareware programs (many of them are
much more solid and bug-free than Diga!).
If we can do it, and we get a strong feeling that it's a good idea. Then we'll
try. When can I download the spec for the QB mode???
QB source can be found in DL4. It is the source that CoComm uses, written by
Ben Blish of SoftCircuits. I am using QB in a beta version of a new release of
Access! (PD). I have been averaging 1150 baud when connected at 1200 baud. It
would be a boon for Diga! users if it were included.
GreG
Ever think about using overlays? You could have the appropriate protocol load
in as part of the initial config, or 'on the fly'. The space taken up on disk
is not anywhere near as critical as in memory, and I for one, resent a large
program if it has code hungry protocols I don't use.
Regards, Larry.
Diga! uses alot of overlays. Could we simply replace the B protocal with QB?
Is B required if QB is supported? Are they similar? (All emulations and
protocols use overlays).
You can replace B with QB. And as I said earlier, the SOURCE code required is
in DL4, right here. Go get it, and implement it. It takes about 3-4 hours
programming time. I know – I did it.
If you have QB, you don't need B. QB will 'fall back' to B if either side won't
handle it.
Regards, Larry.
John,
Don't get me wrong, I would really like an upgrade, too. I also miss some of
the omitted features. If I remember correctly, though, DIGA! came out about
last June, and it does function well in many of it's modes. (At least the ones
that I use most often.) I'm content to wait for a real upgrade, rather than
have the product be continuously revised to the field.
In all honesty, though, it does seem like the developers are taking their time.
In following this forum, I got the impression that Aegis was about to issue an
upgrade, and then decided to add Quick-B protocol, (all readers please note:
this is just MY impression, I have NO INSIDE SOURCE whatsoever.) If that is
really true, I'd gladly wait a little while longer for it.
(Mostly an optimist!) David