Atari8bitCarts Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 Wondering if this might have anything to do with the PRONTO/Chemical Bank trial where they connected 200 Atari 8-bit systems to the bank via modem for online banking. It's described at http://www.atarimaga...1n6/pronto.html, but I've never seen a picture of the cart. There's a screen shot at http://www.atarimani...onto_13693.html, and a related program shown at http://www.atarimani...get_13710.html. No, that is an actual cartridge (see pitfalljones.com). And was a banking network. I have a cart related to it called CitiBank Home Banking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Jefferson Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Just tried this, and since it actually tries to boot the disk, I think this might be a custom boot disk with part of the software on it. It would make it a bit harder to pirate this software if there is also a cartridge. I have a feeling we'll really need that disk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox-1 / mnx Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Just tried this, and since it actually tries to boot the disk, I think this might be a custom boot disk with part of the software on it. I think it just needs a DOS (2.x) disk as it probably needs some kind of DOS to make it work with disks. Much like the Painter cartridge does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Jefferson Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 (edited) Just tried this, and since it actually tries to boot the disk, I think this might be a custom boot disk with part of the software on it. I think it just needs a DOS (2.x) disk as it probably needs some kind of DOS to make it work with disks. Much like the Painter cartridge does. Hi, yes, you are right. It looks like it then is trying to access a few files from the disk: KPS and S. CIO: IOCB=1, CMD=$03 (open), AUX1=$04, filename="KPS CIO: IOCB=2, CMD=$0C (close) CIO: IOCB=2, CMD=$03 (open), AUX1=$08, filename="S" Edited February 18, 2012 by Shawn Jefferson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+hunmanik Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 In writing that note in the FAQ, here's what I was looking at in an early Atari catalog/flier that I deduced would have been used at the Jan. 1980 CES. Personal Finance: (CXL4012) Use the Personal Finance application package to balance your check book and keep a permanent record of all checks you write. When entering checks you have the option of indicating tax and budget categories. It provides summaries and totals of tax categories for income tax records. The Personal Finance program is your key to check book, budget, and tax record information. Atari 800 Personal Computer and Atari 810 Disc Drive required. Available July 1980. For a "screen shot" they just had a black screen with a big, ultra-low res white dollar sign. So the software may not have been very far along at that point! Sorry for not believing you in the first place... 'cause I now think you have something of historical importance: one of the first Atari programs ever written! I checked the FAQ again and look what the timeline says for January 1980: "At the Winter CES in Las Vegas, Atari introduced [...] 3-D Tic-Tac-Toe, Star Raiders, Personal Finance (possibly eventually shipped as Personal Financial Management System)". What you have in your hands could actually be a copy made for the CES! Promotional material possibly exists as well, especially if this program was to be the foundation of the ill-fated CXL8xxx series. Crazy stuff! -- Atari Frog http://www.atarimania.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ransom Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 It's hard to tell from that description, but it's possible that the program may have included categories based upon the tax code. If that's the case, then that would be something that would have to be updated annually. That may be one of the things it's trying to load from the floppy. You'd have to buy a new floppy every year, though, so I'm not sure if that's a true possibility for the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8bitCarts Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 Thank you for the research, I can find nothing on DBFA? I was reading on Atari's Visicalc and when you search google on Atari and DBFA and finances you get a lot of: http://www.atarimagazines.com/compute/issue25/105_3_NEW_PRODUCTS_SOFTWARE_ARTS_ESTABLISHES_DATA_INTERCHANGE_FORMAT.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Jefferson Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 (edited) Well, it tries to open the filename "KPS" for a read, and then tries to open filename "S" for writing, so I think you'll need the disk that would have been with this cartridge. I guess you don't have anything that came along with it? Edit: Hmmm.... Is S the screen, or a filename? It may only looking for a filename of "KPS"-if I'm reading the Altirra .tracecio output correctly. I put a bogus file on the disk with that filename, but it didn't do anything differently. CIO: IOCB=1, CMD=$0C (close) CIO: IOCB=2, CMD=$0C (close) CIO: IOCB=1, CMD=$0C (close) CIO: IOCB=1, CMD=$03 (open), AUX1=$04, filename="KPS" CIO: IOCB=2, CMD=$0C (close) CIO: IOCB=2, CMD=$03 (open), AUX1=$08, filename="S" <snip a bunch of screen output CIO calls> CIO: IOCB=1, CMD=$07 (get characters), buffer=$bc40, length=$0000 CIO: IOCB=1, CMD=$07 (get characters), buffer=$bc40, length=$0000 Edited February 20, 2012 by Shawn Jefferson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8bitCarts Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 Still looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Filename "KPS" sounds a bit suspicious. If it was looking for a file on disk through CIO, the filespec would have to have a D: prefix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Jefferson Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Yes, I think you're right, Rybags-I wonder what "KPS" stands for in Altirra? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8bitCarts Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 So, currently, I believe it to be from Atari, original, and never released. Possibly a prototype or trade show "mock-up". I'm still looking for more information, literature, and the disk (if I ever had it). I think this cartridge is an extremely rare find and I might consider selling it. The person would need to be a serious collector, and it wouldn't be cheap. The cartridge is incredible condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qix_maniac Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 So, currently, I believe it to be from Atari, original, and never released. Possibly a prototype or trade show "mock-up". I'm still looking for more information, literature, and the disk (if I ever had it). I think this cartridge is an extremely rare find and I might consider selling it. The person would need to be a serious collector, and it wouldn't be cheap. The cartridge is incredible condition. why would you sell it, especially after showing us all your cartridges and tribute to pitfalljones!??? I'd say it's a keeper Come to think of it there are some sick prices on ebay right now for XEGS games (Karateka,Mario Bros.,Summer Games) where seller wants $200-$250+ for these games and there is a seller in Germany wanting $600 USD for Pastfinder so your Checkbook might bring $20,000!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 so your Checkbook might bring $20,000!!! That's a pretty good reason to sell it right there. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Jefferson Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Without unlocking the secret of the "DBAF" disk, the cartridge is non-working pretty much-along the same lines as those cartridges that came with the TV listings computers found awhile back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qix_maniac Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 so your Checkbook might bring $20,000!!! That's a pretty good reason to sell it right there. hehehe, Hawaii Trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8bitCarts Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 Without unlocking the secret of the "DBAF" disk, the cartridge is non-working pretty much-along the same lines as those cartridges that came with the TV listings computers found awhile back. I'm not sure what those were? But a cartridge made my Atari, never released, in the stage it is. I haven't seen this. If I only knew what happened to the release of this, why did it get cancelled, etc? Who was the developer, etc... This week I'm going through boxes to see what I can find Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8bitCarts Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 So, currently, I believe it to be from Atari, original, and never released. Possibly a prototype or trade show "mock-up". I'm still looking for more information, literature, and the disk (if I ever had it). I think this cartridge is an extremely rare find and I might consider selling it. The person would need to be a serious collector, and it wouldn't be cheap. The cartridge is incredible condition. why would you sell it, especially after showing us all your cartridges and tribute to pitfalljones!??? I'd say it's a keeper Come to think of it there are some sick prices on ebay right now for XEGS games (Karateka,Mario Bros.,Summer Games) where seller wants $200-$250+ for these games and there is a seller in Germany wanting $600 USD for Pastfinder so your Checkbook might bring $20,000!!! I really don't do prototypes or unreleased, that was my tribute All those cartridges were "sold" as production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8bitCarts Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) Without unlocking the secret of the "DBAF" disk, the cartridge is non-working pretty much-along the same lines as those cartridges that came with the TV listings computers found awhile back. I stumbled on this, not sure if it's the same thing but on page 4 and 6 it discusses Atari checkbook functionality. And a diskette needed for data (though it uses two other disks). http://www.atarimani...n_Fall_1981.pdf http://mcurrent.name/atariads/grow1p.htm Edited February 21, 2012 by chrislynn5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8bitCarts Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) I went through dozens and dozens of disks last night, no luck. I have about 50 more. I was able, while pressing keys, to get another message. I noticed that the 'back' key invokes the "start a tape cassette" noise. The 'atari logo' key makes a click but doesn't attempt to check the disk again, then there is the 'esc' key that changes the screen (see screen shot). But doesn't appear to do anything after that? Edited February 21, 2012 by chrislynn5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrewire Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Maybe it's looking for a demo spreadsheet? And "S" is the sheet number in the file? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8bitCarts Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 Another AtariAge Post (2001): http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/3403-atari-personal-finance-cartridge-found/page__p__2470336__hl__personal%20finance%20cart__fromsearch__1?do=findComment&comment=2470336 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8bitCarts Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 I've enlisted the aid of some Atari old time developers, etc. My hope is that they can track down some information on this cart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8bitCarts Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 Well I was able to break into the code via what I believe was an I/O crash. I took several minutes of video while the screen displayed what I believe is the menu and cart info code. I have screen shot some of that video, nice! It says "Personal Finance"!!!!!!!!!!! Copyright 1980!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Jefferson Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Yes, all that text is in memory at around $2xxx or so... you can see it all in the emulator debugger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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