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Get your CiX

Al Goold gets his head CiXed in...

Without CiX (Compulink Information eXchange, pronounced kicks) there would be no Atari Computing - it's that simple!

The twelve members of the Atari Computing Group (A|C|G) have never all met in person together. Although over the years most of us have met each other at various shows we have never all been in the same place at the same time. We pass around the raw copy which eventually becomes what you are reading now and communicate with each other via CiX.

What is CiX?
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CiX is essentially a massive commercial Bulletin Board (BBS) which provides open, closed, and confidential closed conferencing facilities which can be created by any CiX member.
There are thousands of open conferences, which anyone can join, covering every imaginable topic - and then some! For example, apart from the Atari related conferences there are conferences about TV, film, politics, football, cars and books along with support conferences run by commercial companies.

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A selection of Atari related conferences available. With over 6,000 different conferences and over 15,000 calls a day CiX is an invaluable resource, populated by many knowledgeable and friendly people
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CiX is also a fully fledged  ISP (Internet Service Provider) offering a full range of Internet facilities including:
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* Local call access throughout the UK.
* X2 modems to connect at speeds up to 56K.
* Free technical support.
* Email
* 5Mb of free web space to upload your own web pages.
* FTP (File Transfer Protocol) - the ideal way to grab files.
* Telnet - to access CiX conferencing via the Internet (even from another ISP, or from outside the UK) or run interactive sessions one other peoples computers etc.
* IRC (Internet Relay Chat) allowing real time discussions with hundreds of other Atarians worldwide.
* Full graphical WWW access
* Binary file transfer (called binmail) between CiX members via their conferencing mailboxes - no need for MIME or uuencoded attachments.
* File lists where members can make software available for download by others, including a large library of Atari related files in the atari.st conference.
* Usenet News, allowing access to thousands of worldwide newsgroups.

But can I use my machine?
With the addition of a modem any machine from a 1Mb Atari ST up to a Falcon or Atari emulator can access CiX. A hard drive is advised, but not essential - see boxout.

** Boxout 1 **
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On the record
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"There's a lot of twaddle talked about the Internet but without it this magazine would never have been launched. The Atari Computing Group (A|C|G) has around a dozen members who put their hands in their pockets to finance this launch issue. We've never met as a group in person yet we've created this magazine from the ground up, in a cosy corner of the CIX conferencing system. We're proud of this achievement - so if we nag you to get on-line you'll understand, won't you?"
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Joe Connor - Issue 1 - Atari Computing - September 1996
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** Boxout 2 **
Getting on-line with a floppy based system?

Peter Wood (petewood@cix.co.uk) explains how he did it...

For the past eighteen months, I've had a great deal of pleasure, been in touch with many very helpful people, and gained a lot of valuable experience, being on-line with my floppy based ST setup.
Of course there are drawbacks and limitations as to what I can do, but the important thing is that I can, like everyone else, ask a simple question, on-line, and more often than not, be inundated with answers. Almost everyone wants to help.
I had to make a choice between buying a modem or hard drive as I couldn't afford both. I choose the modem partly because it coincided with an article in ST Format, which went into detail about how get on-line - except, at least as far as floppies were concerned, the article was flawed. Luckily I was in contact with a couple of guys who were a great help. With hindsight, the problems I experienced could easily have been avoided and the setup I have is straightforward and I would encourage anyone who wants to get on-line to go for it!

Nitty Gritty
Moderation is the key. I have no desire to get onto the web, nor do I need to download lots of large files at the same time so I rarely encounter a problem.
My setup is an Atari ST with 1Mb memory, a TV, an external floppy drive, a printer and a 14,400 modem. Using a slower modem means the on-line costs add up more quickly and a faster modem is wasted unless you have a modified serial port.
Because of my limited disk space, I have to keep a tight reign on the files that I download, and the conferences I join, transferring files onto other disks after each blink, along with anything else I want to keep and while this is tedious I have achieved what I set out to do - communicate. Using email I can correspond with anyone else on-line anywhere in the world - even your mate next door with his £2000 multimedia turbo PC! Following the advice given in Jim Hornby's SwiftCiX I can access CiX via my floppy based system.
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Where to find the Atari users on CiX?
These are among the most popular Atari related conferences on CiX. Why not drop in and say hello?

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* atari.st
* ataricomputing
* atari.user.gps
* atari.st.olr
* atari.internet
* stapplications
* titan.bss
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The unregistered version of CiXread enables access to a maximum of five conferences.
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** Boxout 4 **
How to join CiX?

SwiftCiX offer
It couldn't be easier thanks to our special offer. Jim Hornby of The Atari Wrinklies Club has written a beginners guide to getting on-line with CiX, called SwiftCiX. Atari Computing are delighted to offer this guide, along with a disk containing unregistered versions of Cixcomm and Cixread for only £4.99

Cixcomm/Cixread registration offer
Cixcomm and Cixread are both shareware, supported by their programmers, on CiX. Both programs normally cost £20 each but we're arranged a special deal for Atari Computing readers who can register both programs for £30.
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Important! Be sure to include your chosen CiX nickname so we know where to send the Shareware keys.
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After a few days you'll receive a small "key" file in your binary mailbox via your CiX account for each of the two programs. If you decide to pay for your registrations when purchasing SwiftCiX all you have to do once you are on-line is to send an email containing your name and address and your "key" files will be emailed to you.
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Email: ataricomputing@cix.co.uk
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To take advantage of either offers send a cheque/PO made payable to "Atari Computing Group", to:

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Atari Computing
(SwiftCiX/CiX Registration Offer)
"Rois Bheinn", Overton Crescent
Johnstone
PA5 8JB
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** Boxout 5 **
CiX running costs

CiX has recently revamped its pricing structure to offer integrated conferencing and internet accounts which offer flexibility and excellent value for money. 

In addition to the cost of your telephone bill on-line time to CiX is charged by the minute, with part minutes rounded up to the next minute. The actual cost per minute varies depending which account you sign up for and how often you use it:

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Internet Conferencing Account, Occasional User Tariff (ICA-OUT)
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* Monthly minimum charge of £7.34 (£6.25 + VAT) - which works out at over two and a half hours at cheap rate.
* Additional time is charged at 4p per minute cheap rate or 6p per minute at peak rate. CiX peak rate runs from 08.00 to 17.00 Monday to Friday. Cheap rate is at all other times.
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Internet Conferencing Account, Standard User Tariff (ICA-SUT)
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* Monthly minimum charge of £17.62 (£14.99 + VAT) - including up to 25 hours free.
* Additional time is charged at 1p per minute.
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Monthly bill
If you stick mainly to conferencing using Cixcomm/Cixread using a 14,400 modem or faster and access CiX twice a day you are unlikely to go over the minimum fee for the Occasional User ICA-OUT account. You'll also be able to surf the web and enjoy all the benefits of the Internet but if you find yourself regularly going over the minimum you will pay a premium rate and should switch to an Internet Conferencing Standard User (ICA-SUT) account.
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** Images **
** Both big enough to read clearly please **
** CIXREAD.GIF **
Cixread, the custom Atari off-line reader (OLR)

** CIXCOMM.GIF **
Cixcomm, the terminal program, which integrates neatly with Cixread

** CIXCLAN.GIF **