This episode features AtariWriter, originally released in 1982 by Atari.  It was developed by Atari.  Later versions were developed by Micro Fantasy.  The primary programmer for all versions was William V. Robinson.  This word processor brought word processing to the consumer in an easy to use package.

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Box and Supplement Scans

AtariWriter (original) 1982 box front:

 

AtariWriter (orignal) version A cartridge:

 

AtariWriter (original version B cartridge (revised for XL line):

 

AtariWriter (original) version C cartridge:

 

AtariWriter  1985 box front (no cartridge, this version shipped on disk media):

 

AtariWriter  1985 box back:

 

AtariWriter Plus box front (no cartridge, this version shipped on disk media):

 

AtariWriter Plus box back (no cartridge, this version shipped on disk media):

 

AtariWriter 80 1988 box front (no cartridge, this version shipped on disk media):

 

AtariWriter 80 1988 box back:

 

Advertising

An original AtariWriter print ad.  This scan is from Atari Connection Volume 3 Number, March 1983:

 

Another original AtariWriter print ad.  I believe this was the second with revisions for the XL line.  This scan is from ANALOG November 1983:

 

Atari Proofreader ad.  Proofreader is included in AtariWriter Plus and AtariWriter 80:

 

Nice review advertisement from Antic magazine in September of 1983:

 

AtariWriter in Action

The boot splash from AtariWriter (Original):

 

The boot splash from AtariWriter Plus:

 

Booting AtariWriter XE on non-XE machine gives a hard error:

 

Menu

The AtariWriter (original cartridge based, version A and C) main menu:

 

The AtariWriter Plus main menu:

 

The AtariWriter 80 main menu:

 

Editor Screen

The AtariWriter (original) edit screen (new document).  Note the global formatting parameters across the top:

 

The AtariWriter Plus edit screen (800/XL version on top, XE version on bottom).  Notice the global formatting parameters are removed and now reside on a separate menu:

 

The AtariWriter 80 edit screen.  Produced via emulated XEP-80:

 

Editing a large document with AtariWriter (Original).  Notice 297 bytes free:

 

Editing the same large document in AtariWriter Plus.  Document has been distributed evenly amongst memory banks, and bank 1 has just been selected:

 

Editing the same large document in AtariWriter 80.  Document has been distributed evenly amongst memory banks, and bank 1 has just been selected:

 

Editing section headers (TOC) with AtariWriter Plus (this works the same way with all versions):

 

Editing the same section headers (TOC) with AtariWriter 80:

 

Print Preview

AtariWriter (Original) previewing a large document.  Viewport window is scrolled slightly right:

 

AtariWriter Plus previewing the same large document.  Viewport window is scrolled slightly right:

 

AtariWriter 80 previewing the same large document.  Viewport window is not scrolled:

 

AtariWriter (Original) previewing section headers (TOC):

 

AtariWriter Plus previewing section headers (TOC):

 

AtariWriter 80 previewing section headers (TOC):

 

Print

AtariWriter (Original) supports four predefined printers, or a custom printer driver loaded via AUTORUN.SYS file.  Different default printers were present between the A and C versions.  The A version:

 

The C version replaces options 3 and 4.  The Atari 820 becomes the Atari 1020.   The Atari 822 becomes the Atari 1027:

 

AtariWriter Plus printer selection:

 

AtariWriter 80 printer selection:

 

Index

Index of files with AtariWriter (Original).  Option to print when list is complete.  Single columns only:

 

Index of files with AtariWriter Plus.  Expanded options for deleting, loading, saving on top of printing.  Two columns will display:

 

Index of files with AtariWriter 80.  The same options as AtariWriter Plus.  Up to four columns will display:

 

Global Format

The new global format menu introduced with AtariWriter Plus.  Seen here on AtariWriter Plus (top) and AtariWriter 80 (bottom):

 

Mail Merge

Message displayed when the Mail Merge function is invoked from AtariWriter Plus:

 

AtariWriter Plus Mail Merge meu:

 

AtariWriter 80 Mail Merge menu.  The difference here is the title at the top of the screen:

 

Creating a new mail merge file.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

 

Editing the mail merge database.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

 

Building a subset of the mail merge file.  In essence this is an index and criterion filter.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

 

Printing the mail merge file.  Enter the filename, off to the printer it goes.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

 

Proofreader

The message displayed when the Proofreader module is loaded.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

 

The Proofreader main menu.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

 

Starting to proofread a file.  First mis-spelled word encountered.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

 

Correcting a mis-spelled word.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

 

Using the Highlight feature of the Proofreader.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

 

Deciding if you want to proofread the entire document or not.  AtariWriter 80:

 

Using the dictionary search function to lookup words.  Notice previous searches remain on screen.  AtariWriter Plus on top, AtariWriter 80 on the bottom:

 

Errors

Not so much errors as warnings.  At any rate they prevent you from doing what you set out to do.  The first is trying to load a file that won’t fit in memory with AtariWriter (Original):

 

String Too Long.  This one crops it head up if a continuous block of text is longer the the margined line will allow (i.e. if the text is 80 characters and the column count between margins is only 74).  A web URL can invoke this error quite easily.  It can appear with print preview, printing, or reformatting.  First screenshot is from AtariWriter Plus, followed by AtariWriter 80:

 

Files

Contents

AtariWriter and AtariWriter Plus use Atari DOS 2.0.  AtariWriter 80 uses Atari DOS 2.5.  The contents of the AtariWriter Plus disk can be seen in this screenshot (the 800/XL version on top (D2); and the XE version on bottom (D3)):

 

The contents of the AtariWriter 80 disk can be seen in this screenshot (the 800/XL version on top (D2); and the XE version on bottom (D3)):

 

The contents of the Proofreader disk can not be read.  The VTOC is replaced with this custom message.  The AtariWriter Plus disk is on top (D2); and the AtariWriter 80 disk on the bottom (D3):

The files are:

• AP.OBJ is the AtariWriter Plus (or AtariWriter 80) program.
• MM.OBJ is the AtariWriter Mail Merge program.
• PROOF is the AtariWriter Proofreader program.
• PD is the AtariWriter Printer Driver Creation Utility program.
• AUTORUN.SYS is the program loader for AtariWriter Plus.  For AtariWriter 80 it should load the XEP-80 driver then load the program.

 

Dump

Looking at a dump of a 1 letter document (the letter I) file created with AtariWriter (original):

 

Looking at a dump of a 1 letter document (the letter I) file created with AtariWriter Plus:

 

Printing

Print output of the index print (same for all versions):

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/s2e01-prt-index.pdf

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/s2e01-prt-indexprintaw80.pdf

Print output of the Mail Merge database (same for AtariWriter Plus and AtariWriter 80):

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/s2e01-prt-mailprintawp.pdf

Print output of a document using a Mail Merge database:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/s2e01-prt-mailprintfieldsawp.pdf

Print output of possibly mis-spelled words from the Proofreader:

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/s2e01-prt-proofprintawp.pdf

Print output (customized with formatting) of section headers (table of contents):

https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/s2e01-prt-toc.pdf

 

Instructions

Scanned Reference Cards

AtariWriter (Original): https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/atariwriterreferencecard.pdf

AtariWriter Plus: https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/atariwriterplusreferencecard.pdf

AtariWriter 80: https://inverseatascii.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/atariwriter80referencecard.pdf

 

Show Links:

• Atari Mania – AtariWriter: http://www.atarimania.com/utility-atari-400-800-xl-xe-atariwriter_27613.html
• Atari Mania – AtariWriter Plus: http://www.atarimania.com/utility-atari-400-800-xl-xe-atariwriter-plus_29472.html
• Atari Mania – AtariWriter 80: http://www.atarimania.com/utility-atari-400-800-xl-xe-atariwriter-80_18536.html
• Atari Protos: http://www.atariprotos.com/8bit/software/atariwriter/atariwriter.htm
• AtariAge: http://www.atariage.com/software_page.html?SoftwareID=3765
• WikiPedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AtariWriter
• AtariWriter TV Ads (at Atari Mania): http://www.atarimania.com/utility-atari-400-800-xl-xe-atariwriter_12515.html
• Digital Press (Easter Eggs): http://www.digitpress.com/eastereggs/a48atariwriter.htm
• Atari Peripherals Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_8-bit_computer_peripherals#xep80
• Atari Historical Society – Atari 1029: http://firewi.com/ahs/computers/8bits/1029.html
• Atari 1029 Printer: http://www.atarimuseum.com/computers/8BITS/XL/xlperipherals/1029.html
• Atari Historical Society – Atari XEP-80: http://firewi.com/ahs/xep80.html
• Atari Mania Atari XEP-80: http://www.atarimania.com/faq-atari-400-800-xl-xe-what-is-the-atari-xep80-interface-module_39.html
• Corporation Wiki – Micro Fantasy: http://www.corporationwiki.com/California/Woodland-Hills/micro-fantasy-inc/41000566.aspx
• AtariAge – My dBase III project overview (forum thread): http://atariage.com/forums/topic/242189-dbase-iii-for-atari-a8/ 
• Unfinished Bitness – My dBase III project details (blog): http://unfinishedbitness.info/tag/dbase/

 

Rating

AtariWriter (original) BIT Rating:

 

AtariWriter Plus and AtariWriter 80 BIT Rating:

 

Intro music is an excerpt from a chip tune by Wizwars named 8 Bit Raceway.  It is used under Creative Common license Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States.