** 2 page review / 938 words **

Rational Sounds 2

Joe Connor rationalises his desktop...

** RATSOUND.GIF **

Rational Sounds adds "Soundscapes" or "Aural Themes" to your working environment. Sound samples in HSN or WAV format are played via the freeware GEMJing utility, programmed by G”tz Hoffart, which is included in the distribution.

Rational Sounds runs on any TOS compatible operating system capable of playing samples via GEMJing which includes the Atari ST/e/Mega/TT/Falcon and MagiC PC/Mac/Milan for starters. A multitasking OS with AV protocol support is desirable for full functionality.

Using the excellent GEM Setup utility programmed by Joachim Fornallaz, installation is a straightforward point and click operation with options to install GEMJing, BubbleGEM and the alternative accessories needed for a Single TOS installation.
Manual installation is covered in detail but since it involved copying files to various locations and configuration of environmental variables in MAGX.INF/N_AES.CNF I decided to let GEM Setup take the strain.

Lights, Camera, Action!

After installation your desktop bursts to life with most desktop actions setting off sounds. After the novelty of iconising and shading windows just to enjoy the samples wears off you're left wondering how big a hit on overall system performance Rational Sounds makes. On my MagiC Mac/PC set-ups I haven't noticed any significant performance loss.
After months of testing Rational Sounds hasn't caused any problems and I still haven't grown tired of hearing the sounds - take that as a recommendation!

Sound samples are assigned to actions using a stylish configuration application which provides a point and click interface complete with BubbleGEM and ST-Guide help. This can be run from the desktop, renamed as a desktop accessory (useful under Single TOS) and called via the Rational Sounds CPX.

** RS_CPX.GIF here **

Apart from the speaking clock samples there are around 50 samples to select between and naturally you can add your own. If you're planning to use Rational Sounds with MagiC PC you need version 6 or later - earlier versions cannot play sounds via GEMJing.

Rational Sounds understands GEMScript. This capability was built-in so "soundscapes" could be loaded from scripts - optionally along with the desktop settings. There's an example SIC script which, once added to the jinnee 2 plug ins folder, appears on the contextual menu and can be used to speak the time on request.

What's the time?

A speaking clock feature supports offers a choice of pronunciation between formal ("The time is one thirty pm") or dialect ("The time is half past one") in several languages. I'd prefer a sexy female   voice to the German male voice but I don't think my wife would agree to a session playing speaking clocks with a microphone!

Conclusions

Rational Sounds is a remarkable hack. The authors point out there's no legal way to achieve its functionality so they rummage around in global allocated memory, bend vectors and intercept AES-messages to add another dimension to the desktop.

Plans for future releases include a PD "Server" which other programs could register with in order to manage its sounds from a central manager which seems like a sensible next step but it's already a mature product eagerly waiting to entertain an English audience.

** boxout 1 **
Events overview

Samples can be assigned as follows:
** UL **
* On system start
* On system shutdown
* For the following window actions: Open, close, iconise, restore, resize, un/shade, top, move, click on arrow, move sliders
* On keyclick
* To individual keys or key combination
* Instead of default system ping
* To any selectable buttons. For example, different sounds can be assigned to the OK, Cancel and Help buttons and wildcards are supported.
* To window titles
* On program launch different start-up sounds can be added to each of your favourite applications.
* On program exit.
* On displaying application windows.
* Alarm sounds. An appointment diary can be assigned sounds to play after a fixed number of days, on a specific date, monthly or yearly.
* On displaying the file selector.
* For menus, different sounds can be assigned for popup-menus and for menu selections.
* On displaying BubbleGEM bubbles.
* On displaying alert boxes
* When a program bombs!
* Every quarter of an hour and on the hour a sample can be played.
* A speaking clock can speak the time every fifteen minutes in different languages and dialects or by calling a GEMScript plug-in for jinnee 2.
** /UL **
** /boxout **

** boxout 2 **
What's new in Rational Sounds 2?
** UL **
* More events can be assigned sounds
* Speaking clock
* Alarm feature
* Completely revised configuration utility.
* CPX-Module to de/activate.
* jinnee 2.0 Context menu plug-in support.
* Many new GEMScript-commands implemented.
** /UL **
** /boxout 2 **


** /product boxout **
Rational Sounds 2

Authors:
Heinesoft
Nils Schneider and Heiko Achilles
Email: hornsk@talknet.de
http:www.talknet.de/~hornsk/

Distributor
woller systeme
Grunewaldstrasse 9, 10823 Berlin, Germany
Tel: +49 30 21 75 02 86
Fax: +49 30 21 75 02 88
http://www.woller.com

Cost:
Rational Sounds v2.0: DM 79 (around œ26)
Update from v1.0: DM 39 (around œ13)

VISA cards and money orders accepted with shipping via UPS or post

System requirements
1Mb memory minimum, 4Mb memory and STe sound or better is recommended and 640x400 (ST-high) resolution or higher needed to run the configuration utility.

Pros
Unusual product which offers great entertainment, hassle free installtion using GEM Set up, comprehensive setup utility

Cons
Doesn't enhance productivity, no sexy female voice for the speaking clock!

91%
** /product boxout **


** Images and Captions **

** XMAS.GIF overlap if you like **
** RSALARM.GIF overlap if you like **
This dialog page can be used to set up alarms for any regular events. A sample is played and a user-definable alert dialog is displayed

** RS_PROGS.GIF **
Individual programs can be assigned custom start-up, exit and window open/close samples

** GEMSETUP.GIF **